Elf viewers are all baffled after only just realising 'legendary Christmas star' appears in the Will Ferrell movie

It recently celebrated its 20 year anniversary and is, without a doubt, one of the classic Christmas films watched by families around the globe every single year.

But Elf fans are all baffled after only just realising a ‘legendary Christmas star’ appears in the Will Farrell movie.

The 2003 film, which was directed by Jon Favreau, features Will as Buddy Hobbs – aka Buddy the Elf – an eccentric human who was raised by Santa’s elves and ends up on a quest to find his biological father Walter Hobbs (James Caan) in New York City.

But back in the North Pole, fans have noticed that head elf Ming Ming had previously starred in another festive film.

Peter Billingsley, who played Ming Ming, also took on the lead role of Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story.

Elf recently celebrated its 20 year anniversary and is, without a doubt, one of the classic Christmas films watched by families around the globe every single year

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one person wrote: ‘I was today-years-old when I realised that Peter Billingsley (a.k.a. Ralphie from A Christmas Story) was in Elf!’

Another penned: ‘Ralphie from A Christmas Story is the lead elf in Elf. How did I not know this?’

A third said: ‘Nice to know a memorable actor from one Christmas classic appeared in another’

Last year, it was announced that Billingsley would be coming back to his signature role to lead a sequel to the perennial holiday favorite.

The star–turned–filmmaker reprises his role in the new film that’s expected to take place when Ralphie is an adult in the 1970s, The Hollywood Reporter revealed at the time.

In addition to starring in the long-awaited sequel to the 1983 classic, Billingsley also serves as producer for its production companies Legendary and Warner Bros. alongside longtime friend Vince Vaughn for Wild West Picture Show Productions.

The Christmas Chronicles director Clay Kaytis helmed the much-anticipated sequel film, which will be released on Warner’s HBO Max streaming service.

The original A Christmas Story was an episodic period piece set sometime in the late 1930s to early 1940s that follows nine-year-old Ralphie as he navigates school and family relationships in a fictional Indiana town while dreaming of getting a Red Ryder BB rifle for Christmas.

Peter Billingsley, who played Ming Ming, also took on the lead role of Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story

Elf fans are all baffled after only just realising a ‘legendary Christmas star’ appears in the Will Farrell movie

In the ’70s-set sequel, Ralphie will return home to his old house on Cleveland Street to give his own children the same kind of ‘magical Christmas’ he experienced as a child.

The original film was lauded for its realistic production design, which impeccably matched the time period and the Midwestern setting, and the publication writes that the new film will try to adopt a similar style.

Adult Ralphie will reunite with some of his childhood friends featured in the original movie while also trying to move on from the death of his father, often referred to as The Old Man in the original and played by Darren McGavin.

Although the original was filmed in Cleveland, Ohio, with some additional scenes done in Ontario, Canada, the new production wasn’t shot in the United States. Instead, Hungary will be filling in for what is supposed to be Hammond, Indiana.

There are expected to be plenty of references to the original film, which annually plays for 24 hours on TBS and TNT from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day.

A Christmas Story, which also starred Melinda Dillon as Ralphie’s mother, was initially only modestly successful and received mixed reviews upon its 1983 release.

But over the years the film grew in popularity, with the help of home video releases and television broadcasts, until it came to be regarded as one of the best and most popular Christmas films of all time.

Last year, it was announced that Billingsley would be coming back to his signature role, nearly 40 years after the original film A Christas Story (1983)

Following his acclaimed performance in A Christmas Story, Billingsley continued to act more sporadically as he grew older, before focusing on behind the camera work as a director and producer.

He went on to direct the comedy film Couple Retreat, starring his friends Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau, and he executive produced the animated comedy series F For Family with Vaughn.

In 2008, he played a small role as a scientist in Iron Man, which was directed by Favreau, and both actors were later featured in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

A Christmas Story Christmas starts streaming on HBO Max on November 17.