Does the name JK Rowling ring a bell? If you are a fan of the Harry Potter film series, then you’d certainly know JK Rowling, who is the author of the series. Best described as one who has lived from rags to riches, JK has made her mark as one of the most successful British authors of all time. With her various stints as a novelist, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist, JK Rowling’s Net Worth currently runs in millions of dollars.
The Brit celebrity rose to mainstream fame through her work, The Harry Potter series. After its release, the novel series won multiple awards and also sold more than over 500 million copies; hence, becoming the best-selling book series in history. Her work in the series also inspired a film series of the same name (Harry Potter Franchise). Amazingly, Rowling was also the director of the last two series of the franchise.
Although it was the Harry Potter series that ushered her to the limelight, JK Rowling has equally authored other fictions and non-fiction books. Some of which include ‘The Cuckoo’s Calling’, ‘The Silkworm’, ‘Lethal White’, ‘Cormoran Strike’ series, ‘The Casual Vacancy’, and many others. Just like the Harry Potter series, her subsequent books are equally commercially successful.
How Did JK Rowling Make Her Money?
The British novelist began her writing career several years ago and in 1997, she launched her first Harry Potter book entitled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Although the manuscript was first completed by Rowling in 1995, it was rejected by more than 12 publishing firms before it was published by a London-based publishing house – Bloomsbury. Five months after it was released, it won the Children’s Book of the Year Award. In 1998, Scholastic Inc. won the rights to publish the book in the United States, thus paying Rowling the sum of US$105,000.
The second in the series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was published in July 1998. Thereafter, JK Rowling was honored with the Smarties Prize. The following year, the third sequel titled Harry Potter and the Prisoner Azkaban was launched and it also fetched Rowling her third consecutive Smarties Prize. Two years later, the fourth sequel titled Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire came in the year 2000. Afterward, the book became one of the top-grossing novels, selling over 372,000 on its first day in the UK.
Rowling also released the remaining three sequels in the Harry Potter series in 2003, 2005, and 2006, respectively. Amazingly, each of the sequels became more successful in sequence and have sold over 500 million copies worldwide. Additionally, she has also authored other commercially successful movies like ‘Cormoran Strike’, ‘The Casual Vacancy’, ‘Lethal White’, and many others.
How Much Did She Make From Harry Potter?
The Harry Potter franchise, both the novel series and its film adaptation was incredibly successful and has put JK Rowling’s net worth in seven-digit figures. Although she earned $4,100 from the sale of the first book of the series in 1997, Rowling has gone on to gain several million from its sequels which have sold over 500 million copies worldwide.
Following the success of the Harry Potter novels, Warner Bros. acquired the right to film the first two series of the franchise for $1.65 million in 1999. The film which was directed by Chris Columbus was commercially successful; hauling in $975.1 million at the Box Office after it was made with a budget of $125 million. It later had six other sequels which are equally very successful. The Harry Potter film series grossed over $7.7 billion in Box Office returns, which ultimately ushered Rowling into the billionaire circle.
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What Is JK Rowling’s Net Worth?
For a career that has spanned over three decades, JK Rowling has amassed huge wealth for herself. She is currently living a decent lifestyle and her wealth runs in billions of dollars. That being said, JK Rowling’s net worth is currently placed at $1 billion according to Celebrity Net Worth. The acclaimed author earns between $50 and $100 million annually. Rowling made her wealth from the sale of her books, Harry Potter films, and other business endeavors.
More so, she made Forbes list of billionaires for the first time in 2004. However, after donating a greater part of her wealth to charitable causes, she dropped off the list. Meanwhile, she has made history as the first author to ever make the list.
She is also a philanthropist and has donated generously to different charitable causes. Notably, Rowling has a philanthropic organization called Volant Charitable Trust, through which she donates to other organizations that aid people with multiple sclerosis, one-parent families, and children, among others.
