Andy Richter on his behind-the-scenes ‘Elf’ book and being terrified of James Caan when he filmed the holiday classic

Andy Richter has published *Elf Unwrapped: Behind the Scenes of a Modern Christmas Classic*, an oral history of the 2003 comedy, drawing on interviews with nearly all its major players. He says the film’s success was far from certain during production, making its lasting place in the Christmas viewing season a surprise.

Richter recalls that New Line executive Bob Shaye needed convincing to back a film starring Will Ferrell, then new to leading films, and directed by Jon Favreau, whose earlier work had not become a major hit. The script had circulated for eight years before development executive Kent Alterman helped push it forward. Richter also describes feeling intimidated by James Caan on set, says Peter Dinklage and Mary Steenburgen were unavailable for the book, and shares that U2’s Edge once wrote a proposed *Elf* sequel.