Actor and comedian Andy Richter will revisit a beloved Christmas movie in a book coming later this year, People magazine reports.
Dey Street will publish Elf Unwrapped: Behind the Scenes of a Modern Christmas Classic, written by Richter with Aaron Karo, featuring a foreword by Will Ferrell, this fall. The press calls the book “the perfect gift for anyone who believes in the magic of Christmas—and knows that the best way to spread holiday cheer is by singing loud for all to hear.”
Elf, released in 2003, was a box office blockbuster at the time, and it endures as a Christmastime staple. The film, which stars Ferrell alongside James Caan, Bob Newhart, and Zooey Deschanel, follows Buddy, an adult man who has been raised by Santa Claus’ elves and travels to New York to meet his biological father. Richter starred in the movie as Morris, a writer working with Buddy’s father, a publishing executive portrayed by Caan.
Elf Unwrapped will be the first book by Richter, the former announcer for Conan O’Brien’s talk shows who was recently a fan-favorite contestant on Dancing With the Stars. Richter also appears in Obsession, the new indie horror film that stunned Hollywood by grossing more than $220 million at the box office.
In the book, Dey Street says, Richter “goes on a mission to find out [how Elf became a classic] by reconnecting with the very people who brought this festive vision to life. Through exclusive interviews, hilarious anecdotes, and heartfelt reflections with key players like Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, director Jon Favreau, and many others, Andy ultimately unwraps the story of how a quirky holiday film about a human raised by elves became such an enduring cultural phenomenon.”
Elf Unwrapped is slated for publication on Nov. 3.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
