ELF is a 2003 American Christmas comedy film starring Will Ferrell. The movie follows 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 was directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum. It also stars James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, and Ed Asner. It was a commercial success, grossing over $220 million worldwide on a budget of $33 million.