It's one of the first feature films directed by Jon Favreau, who's gone on to helm major Disney projects like Iron Man, The Lion King, and The Mandalorian. Buddy's belch after drinking a two-liter bottle of Coca-Cola was dubbed by voice actor Maurice LaMarche. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 64 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Santa explains that the sleigh's engine is lost and cannot fly without it due to a shortage of Christmas spirit.

Elf will get regular showings on Sky Cinema's dedicated Christmas channel until Christmas Day, and is next on TV on Saturday 3rd December at 10pm. James Caan as Walter Hobbs, a grouchy children's book publishing executive and Buddy's biological father.In front of the camera Farell who I usually don't care for but may just give the performance of his career here.

Papa Elf explains to him that he was born to Walter Hobbs and the late Susan Wells, and that Susan put him up for adoption prior to her death. Read all Raised as an oversized elf, Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who doesn't know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit.Filming took place in New York City, as well as in Vancouver and at Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Most households would argue that there’s no December complete without it, and if you’re struggling to get into the festive spirit there’s perhaps no better remedy. After Buddy takes them to meet Santa, Michael takes Santa's list and reads it out in front of television news cameras, proving that Santa is real. A group of Central Park Rangers, who are angry at Santa for placing them on the Naughty List, chase the sleigh as Buddy tries to reattach the engine.