13 surprising things you might not know about 'Elf' the movie
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- "Elf" the movie debuted in 2003 and has since become a holiday classic.
- It used a lot of unique perspective and film techniques to create size-related illusions.
- The movie's star, Will Ferrell, has said more than once that he has no plans to be in a sequel.
"Elf" premiered in 2003 and has since become a classic holiday movie.
It follows Buddy (Will Ferrell), who was raised among elves in the North Pole. After years of feeling like he didn't quite fit in with his fellow elves, Buddy heads to New York City in search of his real father during Christmastime.
Here are a few things you may not know about the holiday comedy "Elf."
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No, Ferrell wasn't belching on-screen for an impressively long time in the film. Instead, the long burp was recorded by Maurice LaMarche.
Better known as the voice of Brain from "Pinky and the Brain," LaMarche's vocal contributions to the film were uncredited, but his belch will live on in cinematic history.
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Although Buddy is one of Ferrell's most well-known roles, Vulture reported that when the script was first circulating in 1993, Carrey was the first choice to play the curious elf.
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Many scenes from "Elf" were set in New York City, but a lot of the production actually took place in Canada.
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VFX supervisor Joe Bauer told Creative Planet Network in 2012 that "Elf" director Jon Favreau wanted to use "analog techniques" to bring the magic to the North Pole.
The crew used techniques like forced perspective to make Buddy look bigger than the elves around him.
New Line Cinema
Bauer also told Creative Planet Network that the sets for the North Pole were meant to establish a scale for the elves in the film. The teams worked with a two-thirds scale to allow Ferrell to seem bigger than his elven counterparts.
Afterward, the crew would adjust the height of the cameras and objects to bring the optical illusion to life.
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Even though it might not seem obvious, CGI was used in some parts of the film — including the snowball scene.
Naturally, the miraculously long throw during this scene was CGI, as were any snowballs you didn't see thrown by someone.
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Actor Peter Billingsley played the iconic role of Ralphie in classic holiday movie "A Christmas Story." He also made an uncredited appearance in "Elf" as Ming Ming the elf.
This story was originally published on November 27, 2018, and most recently updated on December 12, 2025.
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"Elf" director Favreau makes an appearance in the film as Buddy's doctor.
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"Elf" has a lot of great scenes, but the one of elves playing hockey wasn't meant to be one of them. This scene was cut from the film, but you can still watch it online.
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For just a few short weeks at the end of 2010, "Elf" was transformed into a Broadway musical that brought in a reported $1.4 million in just one week.
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In a 2015 interview with Good Morning America, Ferrell said he's surprised that "Elf" has continued to be successful years after its release.
He joked that it could have been his last movie, but instead, the film has become a cult classic.
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According to Esquire, the famous "throne of lies" scene was filmed in one take. This was due to a tight budget and because production had little time to rebuild such an intricate set.
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In 2006, Ferrell told The Observer he turned down a reported $29 million offer to star in the sequel. He said he didn't want to do it just for the money.
"I remember asking myself: could I withstand the criticism when it's bad and they say, 'He did the sequel for the money?' I decided I wouldn't be able to," he told the publication.
Later, in 2013, Ferrell reaffirmed his decision to People, saying he wouldn't make another "Elf" movie. He said it would look "slightly pathetic" if he tried to "squeeze" back into his elf tights.
