Elf movie poster

Elf

2003 · 1h 37m · Released

PG Comedy, Family, Fantasy

When young Buddy falls into Santa's gift sack on Christmas Eve, he's transported back to the North Pole and raised as a toy-making elf by Santa's helpers. But as he grows into adulthood, he can't shake the nagging feeling that he doesn't belong. Buddy vows to visit Manhattan and find his real dad, a workaholic.

Top Cast & Crew

Jon Favreau Director
Will Ferrell Buddy
James Caan Walter
Bob Newhart Papa Elf
Ed Asner Santa
Mary Steenburgen Emily
Zooey Deschanel Jovie
Daniel Tay Michael
Faizon Love Gimbels Manager
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Frequently asked questions about Elf

What is Elf about?

When young Buddy falls into Santa's gift sack on Christmas Eve, he's transported back to the North Pole and raised as a toy-making elf by Santa's helpers. But as he grows into adulthood, he can't shake the nagging feeling that he doesn't belong. Buddy vows to visit Manhattan and find his real dad, a workaholic.

Who stars in Elf?

Elf stars Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, and Mary Steenburgen.

When did Elf come out?

Elf was released in 2003.

Ratings and streaming availability are aggregated from third-party sources; metadata from The Movie Database (TMDB), streaming data from JustWatch. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Last updated September 2026.