Elf_
"Discover your inner elf."
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.
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Prime Video
19 countries
Max
12 countries
Rakuten TV
8 countries
Netflix
8 countries
Viaplay
4 countries
MovistarTV
3 countries
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
Elf earned $228.5M worldwide on a $32.0M budget — a 614% return on investment.
Jon Favreau →
Year context
Elf was released 23 years ago in 2003.
CAST (20)
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
Peter Dinklage
Miles Finch
Amy Sedaris
Deb
Michael Lerner
Fulton
Andy Richter
Morris
Kyle Gass
Eugene
Artie Lange
Gimbels Santa
Leon Redbone
Leon the Snowman (voice)
Ray Harryhausen
Polar Bear Cub (voice)
Claire Lautier
NY 1 Reporter
Ted Friend
NY 1 Anchor
Patrick Ferrell
Security Guard
Patrick McCartney
Security Guard
CREW
BOX OFFICE
$32.0M
Budget
$228.5M
Revenue
+614%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict
STUDIOS (2)
Meet Dave
Will Ferrell
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
97 min (1h 37m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
6.7/10 (4,455 votes)
Popularity
8
Budget
$32,000,000
Box Office
$228,500,000
Profit
+$196,500,000
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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.
How long is Elf?
Elf has a runtime of 97 minutes (1h 37m).
Who directed Elf?
Elf was directed by Jon Favreau.
Who stars in Elf?
The cast of Elf includes Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, Mary Steenburgen.
How much did Elf make at the box office?
Elf earned $228,500,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $32,000,000.
What is the rating of Elf?
Elf has a rating of 6.7 out of 10 based on 4,455 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Comedy
Family
Fantasy
KEYWORDS (18)
elves
dwarf
holiday
adoption
santa claus
sarcasm
looking for birth parents
romance
fish out of water
orphan
north pole
christmas spirit
christmas
workshop
father son relationship
hilarious
whimsical
cheerful