Will Ferrell Explains Why He Turned Down $29 Million To Do “Elf” Sequel

From artists to athletes, it’s always interesting to hear celebrities discuss some of the biggest paydays that they have walked away from. Earlier this summer, Aaron Rodgers reportedly passed on a historic deal that would have made him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, and basketball fans definitely remember Dennis Schröder’s decision to walk away from his $84 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers this year.

According to NME, acclaimed comedian and actor Will Ferrell also turned down a huge sum of money to reprise his role as Buddy in the iconic 2003 holiday movie Elf.

Actor and comedian Will Ferrell and his wife Viveca Paulin attend a special screening of Elf to benefit the TJ Martell Foundation November 2, 2003 at Loews Astor Plaza Theatres in New York. (
Steven Henry/Getty Images

In exclusive statements to the Hollywood ReporterWill Ferrell revealed that he was offered $29 million to lead the canceled Elf sequel, but after going through the story, he felt like the sequel was far too similar, narrative-wise, 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,'” Will Ferell explained. “I thought, ‘Can I actually say those words? I don’t think I can, so I guess I can’t do the movie.’”

If you haven’t seen Elf in a while, you can watch a clip from Will Ferrell’s classic holiday movie below. Let us know in the comments if you would have loved to watch a sequel to Elf or if you’re glad that Will Ferrell turned down the opportunity. 

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