“Elf” was a box-office smash hit, earning over $220 million globally. Given the success of the film, it’s a shock that there hasn’t been a sequel starring Bill Hader or anyone else. “I think if Will [Ferrell] wanted to do a sequel, there would be a sequel,” “Elf” casting director Susie Farris told People magazine. She explained, “I’ve read that Will felt like he gave this character all that he could give it.”
In a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ferrell admitted he turned down a proposed sequel that would have come with a $29 million paycheck. The reason? He couldn’t get on board with the script. “I would have had to promote the movie from an honest place, which would’ve been, like, ‘Oh no, it’s not good. I just couldn’t turn down that much money,'” the actor revealed. “And I thought, ‘Can I actually say those words? I don’t think I can, so I guess I can’t do the movie.'”
While he admitted that he initially thought “Elf” could mark the end of his acting career, Ferrell did embrace the original movie. During an interview on “The Late Late Show With James Corden,” the actor said that after running around New York City in yellow tights to shoot exterior footage for “Elf,” he thought to himself, “This is either going to be a home run or people are gonna go, ‘Whatever happened to you? Why did you do that one about the elf?'” In the end, Ferrell said, “Elf” was one of those films where “the stars aligned.”
