In a surprising revelation, comedian Andy Richter shared that U2’s guitarist, known as The Edge, crafted a script for a sequel to the beloved holiday classic “Elf.” However, fans of the original film may never get the chance to see this intriguing project come to fruition.
Behind the Scenes of “Elf 2”
During a recent episode of “Obsessed: The Podcast,” Richter, who made a brief appearance in the original film, recounted how Shauna Robertson, the producer of “Elf,” received an unexpected message regarding The Edge’s script for “Elf 2.”
“Somebody reached out to her and said, ‘The Edge from U2 has written a sequel to ‘Elf,’ and he wants to talk to you about it,’” Richter revealed. He went on to express his desire to see the script surface, noting, “It’s the weirdest story, but apparently it was fully written. Somewhere in the world, there is an Edge-penned ‘Elf 2’ out there… I would love for that to make the light of day. It never happened. It’s one of those things where she’s like, ‘All right, sure, I’ll meet him,’ and then it just petered out and never happened.”
Additional Scripts and Perspectives
In addition to The Edge’s concept, Richter mentioned that Scot Armstrong, known for his work on “Old School” and “The Hangover Part II,” penned another sequel script that revolved around “the evil South Pole elves kidnapping Santa or something like that.” Interestingly, Armstrong contributed to the original “Elf” script, though he was not credited due to guild and procedural reasons.
Letting “Elf” Stand Alone
Despite the enduring popularity of “Elf,” which premiered in 2003, Richter firmly believes that a sequel is unnecessary. “I’m on the side of ‘Let it stand,’” he remarked. “Just let ‘Elf’ be ‘Elf.’ You don’t have to use every part of the animal.” He further emphasized that, with time, the film has become a cherished classic, and many fans are hesitant to see it tarnished by a sequel. “Now that time has passed, the movie has become so special that I think people, rightfully so, are loath to mess with it because we all can think of movies that have been tarnished by their sequels. And this is so special and so perfect and so beloved… Why risk it?”
The Legacy of “Elf”
Directed by Jon Favreau, “Elf” starred Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, and Mary Steenburgen, and it follows the journey of Buddy the Elf (Ferrell) as he travels from the North Pole to New York City to reunite with his biological father, Walter Hobbs (Caan).
Richter not only appeared in a minor role in “Elf” but also co-wrote “Elf Unwrapped: Behind the Scenes of a Modern Christmas Classic,” which was released recently.
