Movies like Elf (2003)
The best movies like Elf (2003) are The Santa Clause 2 (2002), Noelle (2019) and The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two (2020). If Elf hooked you with its comedy and family, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)7.9/10 from 10,911 votes
- NewestFamily Switch (2023)Released 2023
The Santa Clause 2 (2002)
Better watch out! The big guy in red is coming to town once again. This time, Scott Calvin -- also known as Santa Claus -- finds out there's an obscure clause in his contract requiring him to take on a wife. He has to leave the North Pole to fulfill his obligations, or else he'll be forced to give up his Yuletide gig.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNoelle (2019)
Kris Kringle's daughter, Noelle, sets off on a mission to find and bring back her brother, after he gets cold feet when it's his turn to take over as Santa.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Christmas Chronicles: Part Two (2020)
Kate Pierce is reluctantly spending Christmas with her mom’s new boyfriend and his son Jack. But when the North Pole and Christmas are threatened to be destroyed, Kate and Jack are unexpectedly pulled into a new adventure with Santa Claus.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHow the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
The Grinch decides to rob Whoville of Christmas - but a dash of kindness from little Cindy Lou Who and her family may be enough to melt his heart...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDashing Through the Snow (2023)
Eddie Garrick is a good-hearted man who has lost his belief in the wonder of Christmas. While spending time with his nine-year-old daughter Charlotte on Christmas Eve, he befriends a mysterious man in a red suit named Nick.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBeethoven's Christmas Adventure (2011)
A Christmas elf accidentally takes off in Santa's sleigh, crash lands in a small town, and loses the magic toy bag. Beethoven must rescue the elf, recover the bag from greedy crooks, and return the sleigh to Santa in time to save Christmas.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Siblings Kate and Teddy try to prove Santa Claus is real, but when they accidentally cause his sleigh to crash, they have to save Christmas.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCandy Cane Lane (2023)
Determined to win the neighborhood's annual Christmas decorating contest, family man Chris makes a pact with an elf to help him out-do the competition. However, the elf casts a spell bringing the twelve days of Christmas to life, unleashing chaos on the small unsuspecting town.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFamily Switch (2023)
When the Walker family members switch bodies with each other during a rare planetary alignment, their hilarious journey to find their way back to normal will bring them closer together than they ever thought possible.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJingle All the Way (1996)
Howard Langston, a salesman for a mattress company, is constantly kept busy at his job, disappointing his son. After he misses his son's karate exposition, Howard vows to make it up to him by buying an action figure of his son's favorite television hero for Christmas. Unfortunately for Howard, it is Christmas Eve, and every store is sold out of Turbo Man. Now, Howard must travel all over town and compete with everybody else to find a Turbo Man action figure.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
Feeling forgotten by the children of the world, old St. Nick decides to skip his gift-giving journey and take a vacation. Mrs. Claus and two spunky little elves, Jingle and Jangle, set out to see to where all the season's cheer has disappeared. Aided by a magical snowfall, they reawaken the spirit of Christmas in children's hearts and put Santa back in action.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisA Boy Called Christmas (2021)
An ordinary young boy called Nikolas sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Taking with him a headstrong reindeer called Blitzen and a loyal pet mouse, Nikolas soon meets his destiny in this magical and endearing story that proves nothing is impossible…
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSanta Claus: The Movie (1985)
In ancient times, a man named Claus, who delivers toys in his small village, fulfils his destiny to become Santa Claus after meeting an expert toy-making elf, Patch, in the North Pole. In the present day, Santa Claus has become overwhelmed by his workload, and the disgruntled Patch flees the workshop to New York City. There, Patch unknowingly threatens the fate of Christmas by taking a job at a failing toy company run by a scheming businessman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNorthpole (2014)
Northpole, the magical city where Santa and his elves live and work is in trouble. Families around the globe have gotten too busy to enjoy the season together, and Northpole depends on their holiday happiness to keep running. In the hopes of turning things around, a determined young elf befriends a little boy with a lot of spirit. His skeptical journalist mom doesn’t have room in her heart for anything but the facts, so it’s going to take a little nudge from his charming teacher to create an unbeatable Christmas team to turn around this town and share the importance of the season with the whole world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHelp for the Holidays (2012)
Although she loves Christmas, Santa’s elf Christine (Summer Glau) wonders if there could be more to life than making toys in the North Pole. When Santa receives an emergency wish from a little boy in Los Angeles, he puts Christine on a special assignment, sending her to L.A. to give the VanCamp family—mom Sara (Eva La Rue), dad Scott (Dan Gauthier), and their two kids Ally (Izabela Vidovic) and Will (Mason Cook)—a holiday wake-up call. Will Christine fail her assignment and be sent back to the North Pole for good, or will the VanCamps come to their senses about the meaning of Christmas?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMarvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight! (2015)
The holiday season gets extra chilly as Loki and the frost giant Ymir plot to conquer the world. Marvel heroes Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor and others must stop the villains from stealing Santa's power – if anyone can actually find the mysterious Mr. Claus. Fortunately, Rocket Raccoon and Groot are also hot on Santa's trail. Heroes, villains, elves and cosmic bounty hunters collide in an epic quest that leaves the fate of the holiday and the world in the balance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001)
When a huge snowstorm leaves everyone stranded, Mickey and all of his guests at the House of Mouse, including Pooh, Belle, Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel and many more of his old and new friends, break out the cookies and hot chocolate to help Donald mend his tattered Christmas spirit.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGet Santa (2014)
A father and son must team up to save Christmas when they discover Santa Claus sleeping in their garage, having crashed his sleigh and found himself on the run from the police.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSanta Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012)
When Mrs. Claus travels to Pineville, the merriest place on the planet, a quartet of magical puppies stow away on her sled, granting joyful wishes to the town's boys and girls. However, something goes terribly wrong - the Christmas spirit begins to disappear. Now, the Santa Pups and Mrs. Claus must race to save Christmas magic from running out for all.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Sam the snowman tells us the story of a young red-nosed reindeer who, after being ousted from the reindeer games because of his glowing nose, teams up with Hermey, an elf who wants to be a dentist, and Yukon Cornelius, the prospector. They run into the Abominable Snowman and find a whole island of misfit toys. Rudolph vows to see if he can get Santa to help the toys, and he goes back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. But Santa's sleigh is fogged in. But when Santa looks over Rudolph, he gets a very bright idea...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOlaf's Frozen Adventure (2017)
Olaf is on a mission to harness the best holiday traditions for Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSecret Agent Dingledorf and His Trusty Dog Splat (2021)
Overcoming bullies and his own loser mentality, 10-year-old Bernie Dingledorf must destroy Dr. Chuckles’s diabolical Laugh Generator before it sends the world into uncontrollable fits of laughter.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & family
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Take On Me (2018)
Yuuta and Rikka are in their third year of high school. One day in Spring, Touka declares that she will take Rikka to Italy with her, as her job has stabilized there and thinks they should migrate together as a family. Touka is also worried about Rikka not being competent enough to advance to universities in Japan. The gangs from the club suggested Yuuta, who doesn't want to be separated, to elope with Rikka!! A runaway drama throughout Japan begins.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning in his place. But, as the holiday approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend Sally tries to foil his well-meaning yet misguided plans.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both fantasy & family
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisMilk Money (1994)
Three young boys pool their money and pay V, a kindhearted prostitute, to strip for them. Afterward, she drives them home to the suburbs -- but then her car breaks down. It's just as well, though, because a mobster named Waltzer is after her, and V realizes the suburbs are the perfect place to hide. But things get a lot more complicated when V falls in love with Tom, a single father who is unaware of her real profession.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Ice Harvest (2005)
A shady lawyer attempts a Christmas Eve crime, hoping to swindle the local mob out of some money. But his partner, a strip club owner, might have different plans for the cash.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
SnoozefestMovies like thisLittle Man (2006)
After leaving prison, dwarf criminal Calvin Sims joins his moron brother Percy in stealing an expensive huge diamond from a jewelry store for the mobster Walken. They are chased by the police, and Calvin hides the stone in the purse of executive Vanessa Edwards, whose husband Darryl Edwards wants to have a baby. Percy convinces Calvin to dress like a baby and be left in front of the Edwards' house to get inside the house and retrieve the diamond. Darryl and Vanessa keep Calvin for the weekend and decide to adopt him, while Walken threatens Darryl to get the stone back.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
SnoozefestMovies like thisVeggieTales: Saint Nicholas - A Story of Joyful Giving (2009)
Laura Carrot's Christmas stocking might be empty this year because her dad is in danger of losing his job. While Larry thinks a letter to the North Pole should fix the problem, Bob knows what will really help… and tells the story of a little boy named Nicholas who made a discovery in Bethlehem that changed Christmas forever. But what did Nick learn and how can it possibly help Laura and her family? Find out as the Veggies discover the true joy of giving to others – at Christmas time and throughout the year!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
The American President (1995)
Widowed U.S. president Andrew Shepherd, one of the world's most powerful men, can have anything he wants -- and what he covets most is Sydney Ellen Wade, a Washington lobbyist. But Shepherd's attempts at courting her spark wild rumors and decimate his approval ratings.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHome for the Holidays (1995)
After losing her job, making out with her soon-to-be former boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson faces spending the holiday with her unhinged family.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like this
Like Elf and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Elf?
The closest matches to Elf are The Santa Clause 2 (2002), Noelle (2019) and The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two (2020). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Elf?
Start with The Santa Clause 2 (2002), the closest match to Elf.
What is the highest-rated movie like Elf?
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), rated 7.9/10 by 10,911 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Elf?
Family Switch (2023) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Elf?
Yes: The Santa Clause 2 (2002), Noelle (2019) and The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two (2020).
How are movies similar to Elf chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Elf, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.