Will Ferrell responds to Asda's Elf Christmas advert

Will Ferrell has joked that this year's Asda Christmas advert, which uses footage from festive classic comedy Elf, finally helped him "get paid market value" for the movie.

The advert splices footage from the 2003 Jon Favreau film — which topped Yahoo's list of the best Christmas films of the 21st century — into newly shot scenes in the supermarket.

Spirited is available to stream on Apple TV+ from 18 November.

Video transcript

TOM BEASLEY: Will, obviously, you have experience of the Christmas film industry, I guess. And there's a reference, of course, to your other Christmas film in this.

WILL FERRELL: Yes.

TOM BEASLEY: I wondered if you've seen, there's a British supermarket called Asda that is using clips from "Elf" in an advert this year.

WILL FERRELL: Yes.

TOM BEASLEY: Have you seen it?

WILL FERRELL: I have. I have. Yeah. That was good.

TOM BEASLEY: What do you think of it?

WILL FERRELL: Well, I've-- it kind of helped me finally get paid market value for when I shot "Elf."

[LAUGHTER]

OCTAVIA SPENCER: Well, hello.

WILL FERRELL: No, I thought it was well done. Yeah.

TOM BEASLEY: Hey, we'll take that. Would you ever return to "Elf"?

WILL FERRELL: No. I think that would look strange, a 55-year-old man running around in tights. Yeah, I think "Elf" is its own entity. It--

OCTAVIA SPENCER: Unless you take on the Santa and crown a new elf. Don't close the door.

WILL FERRELL: OK.

OCTAVIA SPENCER: Don't close the door.

WILL FERRELL: OK.

OCTAVIA SPENCER: We're not closing the door.

WILL FERRELL: The door is ajar.

OCTAVIA SPENCER: The door is ajar. It's a crack. A small crack.