when was the movie elf made

Elf: The movie "Elf" was first released in 2003 and it's a Christmas-themed comedy starring Will Ferrell as the titular character. The movie is based on the children's book "The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition" by Carol Aebersold and her daughters, Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts. In the movie, Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, who was raised as an elf in the North Pole but has a human father. He travels to New York City to find his true family and spread the joy of Christmas.