Andy Richter says U2's The Edge wrote an 'Elf' sequel script; meeting never happened
On Obsessed: The Podcast, actor Andy Richter said U2's The Edge wrote an Elf sequel script and tried to meet the film's producer, but nothing came of it. The Edge has not commented.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2Actor Andy Richter said on "Obsessed: The Podcast" that U2's the Edge wrote a script for a sequel to the 2003 film "Elf". VarietyLC “According to Andy Richter, U2’s the Edge penned a script for a sequel to “Elf”” Read at Variety ↗ Rolling StoneL “revealed in a new interview that U2’s the Edge wrote a screenplay for the sequel” Read at Rolling Stone ↗ Left · 2Richter said someone contacted the original film's producer, Shauna Robertson, to say the Edge had written an "Elf" sequel and wanted to talk to her about it. VarietyLC ““Somebody reached out to her and said, ‘The Edge from U2 has written a sequel to ‘Elf,’ and he wants to talk to you about it,’” Richter said.” Read at Variety ↗ Rolling StoneL “Elf producer Shauna Robertson received a phone call from an unlikely screenwriter pitching a meeting about Elf 2.” Read at Rolling Stone ↗ Left · 2Richter called it "the weirdest story" and said the script was apparently "fully written" and is somewhere in the world. He said he would like it to see daylight. VarietyLC “Somewhere in the world there is an Edge-penned ‘Elf 2’ out there… I would love for that to make the light of day.” Read at Variety ↗ Rolling StoneL “apparently it was fully written somewhere in the world. There is an Edge-penned Elf 2 out there.” Read at Rolling Stone ↗
Left · 2According to Richter, Robertson agreed to meet the Edge, but the meeting never took place and the idea "petered out". VarietyLC “‘All right, sure, I’ll meet him,’ and then it just petered out and never happened.” Read at Variety ↗ Rolling StoneL “Richter added that the meeting “never happened.”” Read at Rolling Stone ↗ Left · 1Richter also said that Scot Armstrong, a writer on "Old School" and "The Hangover Part II", wrote a separate sequel script about "the evil South Pole elves kidnapping Santa or something like that". He added that Armstrong had helped write "Elf" but went uncredited for guild and procedural reasons. VarietyLC ““Old School” and “The Hangover Part II” writer Scot Armstrong penned a separate sequel script about “the evil South Pole elves kidnapping Santa or something like that,” said Richter.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1Richter said he favours leaving the film alone: "Let it stand", and "You don't have to use every part of the animal." He argued that many films have been tarnished by sequels. VarietyLC ““I’m on the side of ‘Let it stand,’” he said. ”Just let ‘Elf’ be ‘Elf.’ You don’t have to use every part of the animal.”” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 1Rolling Stone adds that an "Elf 2" came close to happening in 2013, but Will Ferrell decided against returning as Buddy. Rolling StoneL “an Elf 2 came close to happening in 2013, Ferrell ultimately decided against reprising the role of Buddy.” Read at Rolling Stone ↗ Left · 1Rolling Stone notes that "Screenwriter" does not appear in the Edge's IMDb filmography, which lists composer, soundtrack and actor credits. It says he has produced a few non-U2 projects, and that he has not commented on the script. Rolling StoneL ““Screenwriter” is not among “Composer,” “Soundtrack,” and “Actor” (as himself) in his filmography.”“The Edge has not commented, ever, on his Elf 2 script.” Read at Rolling Stone ↗ Left · 1Richter appeared briefly in "Elf" and co-wrote the book "Elf Unwrapped: Behind the Scenes of a Modern Christmas Classic", released on Tuesday according to Variety. The account rests on Richter's secondhand telling, and neither outlet reports having seen the script. VarietyLC “co-wrote the book “Elf Unwrapped: Behind the Scenes of a Modern Christmas Classic,” released Tuesday.” Read at Variety ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Entertainment-news item built on Richter's podcast anecdote. Variety stresses his view that no sequel is needed. Rolling Stone stresses that the claim is unverified and gives context on the Edge and Ferrell.
- Emphasis
- Variety: Richter's 'Let it stand' stance and the separate Armstrong script. Rolling Stone: the Edge's lack of screenwriting credits, the 2013 near-sequel and the upcoming U2 album.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Variety does not note the Edge's silence or lack of screenwriting credits. Rolling Stone omits Armstrong's script and Richter's argument against a sequel.
- Charged language
- “weirdest story”“unlikely screenwriter”
- For example
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““I’m on the side of ‘Let it stand,’” he said.” — Variety
“The Edge has not commented, ever, on his Elf 2 script.” — Rolling Stone
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Andy Richter made the claim on Obsessed: The Podcast.
- Richter says the Edge's script was reportedly fully written, but the meeting with producer Shauna Robertson never happened.
- The claim is Richter's secondhand account; the Edge has not publicly addressed it.
Andy Richter person
Says the Edge wrote a full Elf sequel script that was never taken further. He would like it to surface but thinks Elf should not get a sequel.
““Just let ‘Elf’ be ‘Elf.’ You don’t have to use every part of the animal.”” — Variety
The Edge person
No comment is reported. Rolling Stone says the Edge has not commented on the script.
“The Edge has not commented, ever, on his Elf 2 script.” — Rolling Stone
Left2 articles
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U2’s The Edge Wrote an ‘Elf’ Sequel, But It ‘Petered Out and Never Happened,’ Says Andy Richter
Neutral Reports Richter's anecdote and his argument against an Elf sequel, adding the Armstrong script.
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Andy Richter Claims U2’s the Edge Wrote an ‘Elf’ Sequel Screenplay
Neutral Presents the story as Richter's claim and adds context on the Edge's credits and silence.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 7 Nov 23:07 First VarietyLC U2’s The Edge Wrote an ‘Elf’ Sequel, But It ‘Petered Out and Never Happened,’ Says Andy Richter
- 8 Nov 17:01 +17h 54m Rolling StoneL Andy Richter Claims U2’s the Edge Wrote an ‘Elf’ Sequel Screenplay
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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