The 2003 Will Ferrell movie is 'ELF'. It is a Christmas comedy film directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum. The movie stars Ferrell as Buddy, a human raised as an ELF at the North Pole who travels to New York City in search of his true identity. The film also stars James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, and Ed Asner. It was released on November 7, 2003, and grossed over $220 million worldwide.