Yahoo Movies Elf has a remake with Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons that you never knew about
Elf fans have been waiting 18 years for a sequel that, let's face it, will probably never happen (sorry guys), but Buddy has actually been popping up elsewhere since 2003.
In 2010, there was a Broadway musical based on the much-loved festive favourite that made its way to the UK. That 10-week run of the show was one of the fastest-selling shows since the Dominion Theatre opened, so you might have heard of it or even seen it in person.
However, what you might not know (unless you're an Elf completist) is that the musical actually led to an animated remake of Elf, with The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons taking over from Will Ferrell in the role of Buddy.
Say hello to Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas.
Watch Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas on Prime Video
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas is based on the Broadway musical which, as you know, was based on the classic movie.
The 42-minute animation retells the story of Buddy's trip to New York City to reunite with the father he never knew existed, which eventually sees Buddy winning over his father and the entire city, rekindling the spirit of Christmas in the process. (Spoiler alert.)
Shockingly, the musical and the animation don't feature Papa Elf, and instead it's Santa Claus who narrates the story. For the animation, Ed Asner reprised his role as Santa, but the rest of the characters were recast for the remake.
Alongside Parsons as Buddy, Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas sees Star Wars legend Mark Hamill play Buddy's father Walter Hobbs, Scrubs star Kate Micucci as Buddy's love interest Jovie and American Dad's Rachael MacFarlane as Emily Hobbs.
Because it's shorter, the animation doesn't cover everything from the movie or include all the songs from the musical, but when it premiered in 2014, it was welcomed with generally positive reviews.
"[It] probably won't become a classic, but it's a fun break from the usual standards," wrote Entertainment Weekly, while Variety wrote: "Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas suits the genre well, and suggests there is an alternative to simply running the sprockets off old holiday perennials."
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas was even nominated for seven Annie Awards (think the Oscars, but solely for animations of all kinds), winning one for Character Design in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production.
So maybe this year, if you want some more Buddy in your life beyond an annual rewatch of Elf, stick on Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas and you might just be pleasantly surprised.
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas is available to rent or buy on Prime Video, iTunes and other digital platforms.
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