One of the stars of ‘Elf’ says a sequel didn’t happen because Will Ferrell ‘didn’t get along very well’ with director Jon Favreau

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James Caan, who played Will Ferrell’s fictional father in the beloved Christmas movie «Elf,» says that a sequel never materialized because Ferrell and the director Jon Favreau «didn’t get along very well.»

Recounting the story during an interview with Cleveland’s 92.3FM’s Bull & Fox show, Caan said: «We were gonna do it, and I thought ‘Oh my God, I finally have a franchise movie. I can make some money, let my kids do what the hell they want to do.» 

However, he said the sequel never made it to production because «the director and Will didn’t get along very well. Will wanted to do it, and he didn’t want the director.» 

However, Caan said that Favreau – who is now best known for directing or starring in big-budget films such as the first two «Iron Man» movies, «Jungle Book,» and the latest «Lion King» remake — had the sequel «in his contract» so the film’s production could not go forward without him. «It was one of those things,» Caan said.

In public, Will Ferrell has continually shut down the idea of a second «Elf» movie. In 2006, he told The Observer that he turned down $29 million to star in an «Elf» sequel. In 2013, Ferrell reaffirmed his decision to People, saying that he will not make another «Elf» movie because it would look «slightly pathetic» if he tried to «squeeze» back into his elf tights.

Favreau, however, has often said he would be open to a sequel, and even discussed potential plot ideas during an interview with Yahoo News in 2016.

The original «Elf» film stars Ferrell as a human elf named Buddy who works and lives among Santa’s elves in the North Pole, alongside Zooey Deschanel, Ed Anser, and Peter Dinklage.

Both critics and fans often list «Elf» among the greatest Christmas movies of all time. The film has spawned a Broadway adaptation as well as a video game and animated TV special. 

Read more: 

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THEN AND NOW: The cast of ‘Elf’ 16 years later

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Source: insider.com