Why Elf, Barbie & The Lego Movie Exist In The Same Universe, According To TikTok
There's a strong chance that "Elf" 2 won't ever happen but fans are keeping Buddy (Will Ferrell) alive in their own way with the power of theorization and good, silly fun. According to Ivan Mars, who posted his theory on TikTok in late 2023, Buddy's story is continued in "The Lego Movie" and further chronicled in "Barbie." The theory suggests that Ferrell's three characters in the three separate films — Buddy the Elf, the Man Upstairs, and the Mattel CEO — are all Buddy at different points in his life.
@its_ivanmars This is a crazy theory 🤯🤯🤯 #elf #christmas #fyp #foryou #barbie #screammovie
The ending of "Elf" sees Buddy learn how to manage a children's entertainment business with his father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan). Prior to writing kids' books, Buddy displays a strong aptitude for Legos by creating a beautiful New York City skyline while decorating the Gimbles toy department. Prior to freaking out his manager (Faizon Love), Buddy works as a toymaker at the North Pole, which notably makes Barbies for children lucky enough to be on the Nice List.
Mars theorizes that these coincidences mean that Buddy grows up to gather an astonishing Lego collection, one that he ultimately shares with his own son (Jadon Sand), and then goes on to manage Mattel where his passion for bringing kids joy barely outstrips his learned misogyny. Or maybe he's already the CEO of Mattel by the time he decides to stock up on Legos. The timeline on this theory is as vague as the evidence but that doesn't make it any less fun to imagine. Apparently, it's a better "Elf" sequel than what New Line Cinema had in mind.
The real Elf sequel failed to impress Will Ferrell
Since we're enjoying a little speculation, why not speculate a little bit more? Let's pretend that Will Ferrell was totally on board to give Buddy the Elf his full story arc in the same way that Mark Ruffalo gave the Incredible Hulk an MCU "trilogy" via the backdoor in other properties. It would make Ferrell's reaction to the official attempt at an "Elf 2" even funnier.
During a 2021 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Ferrell admitted to turning down a sequel to the film that made his career because he disliked the script provided. "I would have had to promote the movie from an honest place, which would've been, like, 'Oh no, it's not good. I just couldn't turn down that much money,'" said Ferrell. "And I thought, 'Can I actually say those words? I don't think I can, so I guess I can't do the movie.'"
For Ivan Mars' TikTok theory to work, then Ferrell needs to believe that connecting "Elf" to "The Lego Movie" to "Barbie" is a better idea than rehashing his first Christmas film. And that just seems like a lot of emotional and physical labor for someone who signed on for "Holmes & Watson."