Will Ferrell is one of the funniest actors in the film industry at present. He is versatile, and he possesses the unique talent to make viewers go from laughing to crying in the blink of an eye.
The actor has starred in several memorable films throughout his career, and he is synonymous with Christmas, forever etched in the annals of the festive season for playing an elf. However, as lovable an actor as he might be, he also has a longstanding feud with a legendary Marvel director, which is why a sequel to Elf is no longer an option.
Will Ferrell had to turn down the sequel to his hit film Elf
Will Ferrell is a well-respected actor and he has played the protagonist in some iconic comedy films. Moreover, he has a wealth of skills not just limited to acting, since he has donned the producer’s hat on many occasions too.
The actor is best known for his role as Buddy the Elf in the comedy film Elf, playing the lead in a star-studded cast featuring James Caan and Peter Dinklage. It is a quintessential Christmas film, packed to the brim with Christmas delight. Such is its popularity that it has been translated into a stage musical as well.
While the film is regarded as one of the best festive movies of all time, a sequel felt like the natural course of action, but it was not. The actor opened up about it a few years ago during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He confessed that he was offered $29 million to appear in the sequel, but he turned it down because he felt it could not match up to the original.
“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.” And I thought, “Can I actually say those words? I don’t think I can, so I guess I can’t do the movie,” he said.
Ferrell’s reason that a sequel would be on par with the first film makes sense from his point of view. However, there are rumors that a lot happened behind the scenes. Moreover, it was his feud with Jon Favreau that probably played a role in his turning it down.
Will Ferrell’s alleged feud with Jon Favreau
Jon Favreau is a respected director, best known for being at the helm of Iron Man, which changed the course of the MCU. He also directed the Christmas film with Ferrell in it. Unfortunately, the two did not get along very well.
James Caan, who played Buddy’s father in the film, spilled the beans on their working relationship. As reported by the Daily Mail, he made an appearance on Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan’s Bull & Fox a few years ago, when he touched upon the topic. He mentioned that it was in their clause that both would have to be attached to get a green light on the sequel.
“The director and Will didn’t get along very well. So, Will wanted to do it, he didn’t want the director, and he had it in his contract, it was one of those things,” he said.
Given their working relationship, a sequel is unlikely to happen. Moreover, both parties have moved on to other ventures, and Elf 2 seems like a distant dream.
