<Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $220.4 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Elf is a 2003 American Christmas fantasy comedy film, directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum . It stars Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Daniel Tay, Ed Asner, and Bob Newhart . The story is about one of Santa's elves (Ferrell) who learns he is actually a human and goes to New York City to meet his biological father (Caan), spreading Christmas cheer in a world of cynics as he goes . </P> <P> The film was released in the United States on November 7, 2003 by New Line Cinema . It received positive reviews from critics and grossed $220 million worldwide on a $33 million budget . It inspired the 2010 Broadway musical Elf: The Musical and NBC's 2014 stop - motion animated television special Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas . </P> <P> On Christmas Eve, a baby boy crawls into Santa Claus's sack at an orphanage and is unwittingly transported back to the North Pole . When discovered at the workshop, the elves name him "Buddy" because he is wearing "Little Buddy Diapers", and he is adopted by Papa Elf . </P>

How much money has the movie elf made