Greetings to all you sons of nutcrackers and Will Ferrell fanatics! As you wait patiently for an official Elf sequel that will probably never happen (sorry), we're here to tell you about a gem in the Elf cinematic universe that may have slipped past you.
We are, of course, here referring to the 2014 animation starring the one and only Jim Parsons - the infamous Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory - as Buddy.
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas features Star Wars icon Mark Hamill as Buddy’s long-lost father Walter Hobbs, Scrubs star Kate Micucci, American Dad’s Rachael MacFarlane and Ed Anser reprising his role as Santa.
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Oh, and did we mention it is also a musical?
The animation, which was directed by Mark Caballero and Seamus Walsh, follows Buddy’s trip to New York to reunite with his biological father whilst on the way transforming the lives of everyone he meets and showing everyone the magic of the holiday season.
The production unfortunately does not feature everyone’s favourite Papa Elf, which is a bit of an injustice considering there is a musical number called World’s Greatest Dad, which is not even about the wholesome adoptive father of Buddy.
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This definitely knocked a star off of many of our ratings, but we're sure you can make up your own minds if you haven’t seen this short but sweet 43-minute-long animation.
The musical numbers and general story are based off a 2010 Broadway musical you may also not have heard of, that eventually made its way to the U.K.
Following the very successful run, the musical has gone on to do North American tours, further Broadway runs, and even playing in the likes of The Lowry in Salford, Greater Manchester.
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One run from late 2015 to early 2016 at the Dominion Theatre, starring Girls Aloud’s Kimberley Walsh and Jesus Christ Superstar’s Ben Forster, was reportedly the fastest selling show the venue had seen since its opening in 1929.
The musical received mixed reviews, including a 2 star review from The Guardian’s Michael Billington, who watched the Kimberley Walsh adaptation.
Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas fared better in terms of critical acclaim, however, receiving an 74/100 rating on Metacritic.
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It also was nominated for several Annie Awards, even winning one for Character Design in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production.
So, if you fancy some short, light relief to fill the Elf-sequel related hole in your heart, this animated short may be worth a watch to distract the family before Christmas dinner.
Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros AnimationTopics: Christmas, Will Ferrell, Big Bang Theory, Elf