Happy Birthday, JK Rowling: Minting magic and millions
The British author, with a net worth that stands at $92 mn, continues to profit from her ever-expanding 'Harry Potter' empire.
By ET Online | Updated:
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Rowling's ever-growing empire is no longer limited to just 'Harry Potter' book sales.
It's been 22 years since Joanne Rowling, or JK Rowling as she's popularly known (she added the 'K' as a tribute to her grandmother Kathleen), brought the magic of Harry Potter into our lives. Little did the then-broke, single mother know, she was about to create not just a massive fan following for her books, but an entire empire that would make her not just a household name across the globe, but also a millionaire.
Decades later, Rowling's rags to riches story is well-known - and often serves as an inspiration for millions. Having written her first story, 'Rabbit', at the age of 6, the British author - who turns 54 today - faced rejection several times before publisher Bloomsbury bought the first 'Harry Potter' book for a mere £2,500, and launched it in Britain with an initial print run of 500 hardback copies.
But within a year the fandom began to grow, with 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone' making it to the New York Times and Times bestseller lists. The same year, Scholastic paid $105,000 to buy the publishing rights of the book in the US, and in 2000 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' was released simultaneously in the UK and US.
A year later, the first 'Harry Potter' film hit the theatres, and at the same time Rowling was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) by the Queen. There has been no looking back ever since; as of 2018, the books had been translated into 80 languages and sold more than 500 million copies worldwide. And this year, Rowling's net worth stands at $92 million, as per Forbes. She also featured in the publication's coveted highest-paid Celebrities list, along with being the highest-paid author of 2019.
JK Rowling poses with her husband Neil Murray after she was made a Companion of Honour by the Duke of Cambridge during an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on December 12, 2017. But Rowling's ever-growing empire is no longer limited to book sales. The author, who has since expanded from children's books to writing fiction for adults, sees money flow in from theme parks, merchandise (you can sip on butterbeer, buy Chocolate Frogs, and even invest in wands and branded broomsticks), plays and her digital platform 'Pottermore'.
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In addition to the 7 original 'Harry Potter' books and 8 movies, there is a five-film contract for 'Fantastic Beasts' - a prequel to the original story, and theatrical productions of 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' that follows the wizard's adult life.
Left to right: Sonia Friedman, Jack Thorne, J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Colin Callender attend the press preview of 'Harry Potter & The Cursed Child' at Palace Theatre on July 30, 2016 in London. According to Forbes, the play created a new record when it opened at Broadway last year, raking in $2.3 million in ticket sales in a single week. The show continues to grow with preview performances at Melbourne's Princess Theatre being held this year; it is also slated to open at San Francisco’s Curran and will make its German debut at the Mehr! Theater am Großmarkt in Hamburg.
There are also four Harry Potter theme parks, apart from the Warner Bros Studio Tour that opened outside London in March 2012 - which as per a 2017 Forbes report made $435.7 million in 5 years.
Happy Birthday JK Rowling: Interesting Facts About The Author Every True Fan Should Know
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All-time favourite author, the creator of 'Harry Potter', philanthropist and over-all Twitter queen, JK Rowling is living proof that magic exists. For her 52nd birthday on July 31 (which she shares with her wizard boy), here are some facts about Joanne Rowling that every true fan must know.
(Image: jkrowling.com)
All-time favourite author, the creator of 'Harry Potter', philanthropist and over-all Twitter queen, JK Rowling is living proof that magic exists. For her 52nd birthday on July 31 (which she shares w..
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The author was born on 31st July 1965 at Yate General Hospital just outside Bristol as Joanne Rowling.
Joanne wrote her first novel about a rabbit, titled 'Rabbit', at the young age of six.
For the 'Harry Potter' series, she used the acronym JK (even though she doesn't have a middle name) at her publisher’s request, who thought a book by a female author might not work. She chose the 'K' for Kathleen, her paternal grandmother.
Here: Rowling with her mother, Anne, and younger sister. (Image: Twitter/JKRowling)
The author was born on 31st July 1965 at Yate General Hospital just outside Bristol as Joanne Rowling.
Joanne wrote her first novel about a rabbit, titled 'Rabbit', at the young age of six.
For the..
Read More
A pioneer for mental health awareness, Rowling has openly spoken about her own battle with depression as a young, single mother, and about contemplating suicide.
Her biggest fear is losing a loved one. Rowling has spoken about regretting not getting a chance to tell her mother about the 'Harry Potter' series, which she started writing six months before her death.
A pioneer for mental health awareness, Rowling has openly spoken about her own battle with depression as a young, single mother, and about contemplating suicide.
Her biggest fear is losing a loved o..
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The author is known for her charitable work. She created the Volant Charitable Trust in 2000 to help children and women in Scotland. She has also contributed generously towards multiple sclerosis research.
She even lost her billionaire status once and was removed from Forbes' list of the World's Billionaires for donating around $160 million to charity.
(Image: jkrowling.com)
The author is known for her charitable work. She created the Volant Charitable Trust in 2000 to help children and women in Scotland. She has also contributed generously towards multiple sclerosis res..
Read More
After finishing the seven books in the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling kept the magic alive with ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ and ‘Quidditch Through The Ages’, which were published in March 2001 in aid of Comic Relief. She went on to pen ‘The Tales of Beedle the Bard’ in aid of her international children’s charity, Lumos, in December 2008. And now, two new books will accompany ‘The British Library Harry Potter: A History of Magic’ exhibition on 20th October, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the publication of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’.
After finishing the seven books in the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling kept the magic alive with ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ and ‘Quidditch Through The Ages’, which were published in ..
