Who directed the 2003 Christmas film Elf?

Jon Favreau directed the 2003 Christmas film Elf. The fantasy comedy stars Will Ferrell as Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole who travels to New York City to find his biological father.

Elf was Favreau’s third feature as a director, following Made and a segment of the 2001 film Made. The screenplay was written by David Berenbaum. Ferrell’s performance made Buddy’s childlike enthusiasm, oversized elf costume, and intense belief in Christmas central to the film’s appeal.

The cast includes James Caan as Walter Hobbs, Zooey Deschanel as Jovie, Mary Steenburgen as Emily Hobbs, and Bob Newhart as Papa Elf. Peter Billingsley, who starred in A Christmas Story, appears as Ming Ming, an elf at the North Pole.

The film was released in the United States on November 7, 2003, and earned more than $220 million worldwide. Favreau later directed Iron Man in 2008, which helped launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s film series. Elf remains one of his best-known family films.