We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast Holiday Encore: Rejecting Elf
Dec 24, 2025
Dive into the unexpected journey of a holiday classic that nearly didn't happen. Discover how Elf was rejected by major studios and actors until a determined producer breathed life into it. Learn about the serendipitous connections that brought Will Ferrell on board, despite initial resistance. Hear tales of rewriting, on-location shoots in New York, and a cast revolt that saved the film's ending. Celebrate the incredible success that followed and the vital lessons about perseverance in the face of rejection.
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How Elf Began
- David Berenbaum wrote Elf in two weeks as a nostalgic, fish-out-of-water Christmas story about a human raised by elves.
- He titled the script simply "Elf" and pitched it after graduating from NYU and working at a lingerie factory.
Early Rejections And A Brief Option
- Disney rejected Berenbaum's script but hired him as a writer, giving him financial stability to keep pitching Elf.
- MPCA optioned Elf briefly and considered Jim Carrey, then Chris Farley, before the option lapsed.
The Seven Levels To Will Ferrell
- John Berg and Tom Komernicki found the script and championed it, attaching Will Ferrell after navigating multiple gatekeepers.
- The script passed through agents and managers — "the seven levels of the candy cane forest" — before Ferrell signed on.