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OCTOBER 22, 2004 at 10:36 AM
Posted by GERI
Source: Forbes magazine
Once again Forbes magazine have published their list of Top-earning fictional characters
for 2003, with the top 10 earning a combined total of $23 billion. Harry Potter dropped one spot from the 2002 list to this year’s No. 4 with an estimated income of $2.8 billion behind Mickey Mouse & Friends with $5.8 billion, Winnie the Pooh & Friends with $5.6 billion & Frodo Baggins, Lord of the Rings with $2.9 billion.
According to Forbes:
Creator: J.K. Rowling
Birth Date: 1998
Debut Role: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, a book
Known Associates: Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley
Bringing in more than $500 million in video game sales alone, this wizard-to-be has earned himself a spot on our list for the second year in a row. On and off the Quidditch field, Harry Potter is truly multidimensional--with fans in love with his books, movies, videogames and merchandise, Potter's creator, J.K. Rowling, earned an estimated $147 million last year and has a net worth of $1 billion, becoming the first author to qualify for a spot on our world's billionaire list (No. 552) based only on earnings from their writing.
Coming Attraction: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on DVD & VHS (November 2004)
Cashing In: Scholastic, Bloomsbury Publishing, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Mattel, J.K. Rowling
Rounding out the top ten: Nemo, Finding Nemo with $2 billion, Yu-Gi-Oh! with $1.6 billion, SpongeBob Squarepants with $1.5 billion, Spider-Man with $1.3 billion, Wolverine, X-Men with $900 million and Pikachu, Pokémon with $825 million.
While you're reading the article why not take the time to answer their poll question: If you could enter a land of make-believe for one day, what would you choose to do? Currently the Harry Potter answer is leading the pack.
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Auror
Points: 2436
emmafan says:
That's Cool, I didn't realize that much money was in the movies.
General
Posted Oct 22, 2004 at 9:22 PM EST
Crookshanks Caretaker
Points: 3836
hermionefan1 says:
No surprise there, its the best childrens book series out there. The movies are in the top ten and mechendise is sky rocketing.
Posted Oct 22, 2004 at 10:31 PM EST
Witch
Points: 832
latinabloomlova says:
Whoa. That's not surprising. I always knew HP was huge but seeing it in numbers is like....WHOA!
Posted Oct 22, 2004 at 11:19 PM EST
Unspeakable
Points: 3920
stocco says:
If you could enter a land of make-believe for one day, what would you choose to do?
Oh man, I would totally go to Hogwarts and learn all this wicked cool magic. That would be so awesome.
Posted Oct 22, 2004 at 11:42 PM EST
True Gryffie
Points: 2577
Harry_Potter_Lover says:
Even though it should be number one.....I am still happy for Harry Potter!!! YaY! At least they are not lower! Keep that in mind...
~*~Savanna~*~
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 12:24 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 435
Nemesis Chamberlain says:
Amazing that something that doesn't exist could earn that much money.
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 12:34 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1856
Rupert Baby says:
Well thats still good i mean dropping one spot isn't all that bad course now its not in the top 3, but thats ok. 2.3 billion is hecka lot and im sure i contributed quite a bit to that i mean i say poa 6 times in the theatres thats gotta do somethin, HA!
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 1:04 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2976
Apollyon Pringle says:
I wish it were number one! Oh well, that's still rockin'! Did California use the chad ballots again?... *boo... hiss...* I know, bad joke.
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 1:22 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2976
Apollyon Pringle says:
Sprryu to double post, but I am alcohol indused and I really meant Florida.. hahaha oh my goodness wow
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 1:24 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2656
Grintster says:
WAIT A MINUTE! Peeps you're missing the point here.. this list is about earnings made in year 2003 -- Please dont forget that the movie came out in 2004!
This means that the HP franchise earned $2.8 billion from 2003 sales of HP merchandise, books, movies/dvds, videogames -- which does not include the PoA movie (released only this year, 2004, remember?).
In contrast, the LotR movie (RotK) came out in 2003, along with the merchandise and all-- so naturally, its sales would surpass HP -- at that timeframe.
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 2:29 AM EST
The Chosen Hobbit
Points: 2447
Enisnitch Baggins says:
I like Mickey&friends, but they never be a number one in my heart. As for winnie the pooh, I never watch it. Harry Potter should be the number one, and frodo in the second place!
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 3:21 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 408
miss potter says:
Thats KOOl but they dropped one spot!!! but they did earn alot of money though whoppie!!!!:):):)
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 3:22 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 887
Magic_Ty4 says:
Now that LOTR is finished I think we'll be pulling back ahead of them.
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 3:58 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1922
emma_wannabe says:
oh man... i sooooooo wish that it was # 1...
But then # 4 is good enough! JK is soooooooo rich!Richer than the queen of England!
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 5:04 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1246
TybaltTheCannibal says:
Good for JK, she seems to give quite a bit to charity anyway. The LOTR movies are over with so we should be able to move up a spot!
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 5:12 AM EST
Blink182's New Member
Points: 2876
Da_BombWiz says:
Ha ha this is fun!!!! Well i didn't know there was such a list!!!!! Well i wonder which other characters are there on the list??
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 5:22 AM EST
Ron's Robe Designer
Points: 5793
meganwood89 says:
Its great that its mostly always in the top ten, pity its not number one but it does have a lot of competition with characters like Nemo and Spongebob Squarepants.
~MEGAN~
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 6:52 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 401
munnii says:
Cool :) It's obvious that Hp is the absolute best, no doubt! Yeay!
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 7:01 AM EST
Parselmouth
Points: 29083
Thestral Eyes says:
Hmm, i dont realy like any of the things on that list, yugio, whinnie the poo and mickey mouse!? bah! No were near as good as HP! Must admit i think LORT is better though *dodges tomatoes* hehe, but HP should be higher up than that!
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 7:48 AM EST
Mad Cow Breeder
Points: 8481
Lord Of The Cows says:
Wow, thats pretty coool, well i hope we make the top one day, i see the shark tale making money, same people as nemo..
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 10:02 AM EST
Magical Sanitary Supplier
Points: 2518
5225 says:
Well everyone is entitled to their opinions, even though I know and love some of the characters on the list. To make it that high for a newer set of characters is good news, right? Others, like Winnie the Pooh for example, need years to be on the list.
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 10:03 AM EST
Witch
Points: 818
ElizabethRG says:
Yay for JK!! November seems so long away...
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 10:39 AM EST
Witch
Points: 908
siriusly_in_denial says:
well of coarse every one would chose Harry potter because they are not totally made up and you can (some times) relate to them because they are human
i love harry potter
how did it drop a spot (maybe because she needs to put out the next book and then she will be at the top
HE DIDNT DIE!!!
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 11:07 AM EST
Student
Points: 212
TomFeltonsLady005 says:
Wow. I was really suprised. I thought she would be in the top 100! Oh well. Well at least she's a billionare people. We can show some support instead of being like awwwwwww shes not number one...YAY JK ROWLING!!!!!!
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 11:09 AM EST
Witch
Points: 688
hpgirl0701 says:
I wish HP would have been number 1, but Pooh and Mickey have been around for sooo long and have captured many children with their own magic. I mean come on, who doesn't like pooh? Hehe. But next year I do want to see Harry Potter on the number 1 Spot!!!!
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 11:31 AM EST
Points: 386
hprelic says:
I don't understand why Hary Potter isn't #1. Only really little kids watch the other shows but almost everybody watches Harry Potter.
Posted Oct 23, 2004 at 11:52 AM EST
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