Although they’re no more, their legacy lives on. Not just that, it rakes in millions of dollars each year. From King of Pop Michael Jackson to ace basketball player Kobe Bryant, these are the top celebrities who continue to earn millions post their death. But you’ll be surprised that there's an author who earned $500 million. At the top of the list is author JRR Tolkien, of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, who earned $500million in 2022. Tolkein died in 1973 and most of his earnings came from the sale of Middle-Earth Enterprises, which handles intellectual property rights for motion pictures, videogames, merchandise, and more to Swedish gaming company Embracer in August, according to Forbes. Let’s take a look at Forbes’ list of highest graveyard earnings of 2022. (Representational Image: Shutterstock)
No 10. Charles Schulz | Earnings in 2022: $24 million | American artist Charles Schulz, who created the comic strip Peanuts (which included the characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy among many others), is hailed as one of the most significant cartoonists in history. His The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and A Charlie Brown Christmas will not air on free broadcast TV for the first time since 1965 as a result of Apple TV acquiring the rights for their subscription streaming service. (Image: Reuters)
No 9. Jeff Porcaro | Earnings in 2022: $25 Million | Although he isn't as well-known as the other deceased celebrities, Toto's drummer was a legend in the music world while he was alive. In addition to being a co-writer of the platinum-certified song "Africa," Porcaro served as recording guru Quincy Jones' preferred studio drummer and provided the rhythm for Michael Jackson's Thriller, the best-selling album of all time. Along with these artists, Porcaro has worked with Steely Dan, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, and Bruce Springsteen. His publishing and recording royalties were bought by Primary Wave. (Image: Shutterstock)
No 8. Dr Seuss | Earnings in 2022: $32 Million | Dr. Seuss once wrote that the inhabitants of Whoville (a fictional town) lived in a planet little bigger than a speck of dust, and that Horton the elephant kindly carried their speck on a fluffy dandelion. Since last November, the small Whos and classic characters like The Cat in the Hat, The Grinch, and The Lorax have produced over $16 million in book sales, in addition to a Netflix agreement and merchandise. (Image: Reuters)
No 7. Leonard Cohen | Earnings in 2022: $55 million | Hipgnosis, a publicly listed music management and IP company run by Merck Mercuriadis, who has handled artists as diverse as Beyoncé, Elton John, Guns N' Roses, and Morrissey, has acquired the publishing and copyrights of the "Hallelujah" singer. During his lifetime, Cohen wasn't excessively concerned with financial concerns: At the Four Seasons in Los Angeles, Cohen once had lunch with a friend who is an industry attorney after his manager "misappropriated" $5 million in the middle of the 2000s. The lawyer remembers, "I'm all wound up asking [Cohen] whether he's furious." "He goes: ‘No, what good would that do?’ The guy was so Zen, it’s incredible." (Image: Reuters)
No 6. Michael Jackson | Earnings in 2022: $75 million | The Jackson-themed Cirque de Soleil production in Las Vegas is back in operation and earning profit alongside the King of Pop's Mijac Music catalog now that Covid constraints have been relaxed. And there’s a new cash cow in town: MJ The Musical on Broadway, a jukebox retelling of Jackson’s story. According to a Jackson estate insider, the play will have made $80 million by the end of November. This is a remarkable achievement considering that the production just debuted nine months ago. (Image: Reuters)
No 5. James Brown | Earnings in 2022: $100 million | James Brown was one of the hardest-working performers until his 2006 death from heart failure. But despite being dead, he appears to continue working. The name and likeness of the Godfather of Soul, as well as his property, real estate, and music rights, were purchased by independent music publisher Primary Wave of New York. According to reports, Brown's estate would employ a portion of the money to permanently finance academic scholarships for underprivileged kids. (Image: Reuters)
No 4. Elvis Presley | Earnings in 2022: $400 million | According to sources close to the estate, at least $80 million of Presley's revenues came from tour tickets, performances, and merchandise. The successful Elvis biopic didn't bring in a tonne of money for the estate immediately, but Presley's revenues are anticipated to increase for at least the next 18 months as new and old fans alike want to own a piece of the Maestro. Even Disney's Stitch plush animals wearing Elvis jumpsuits are selling better than they did a year ago. (Image: Reuters)
No 3: David Bowie | Earnings in 2022: $400 million (Image: Reuters)
No 2. Kobe Bryant | Earnings in 2022: $400 million | Prior to his demise in 2020, the late L.A. Lakers icon held a 7% ownership in the BodyArmor energy drink and served on the board of directors. Coca-Cola agreed to shell out $5.6 billion at an $8 billion valuation in November 2021 to acquire the remaining 70% of BodyArmor. The transaction reportedly brought nearly $400 million for Bryant's estate. (Image: Reuters)
No 1: J R R Tolkien| Earnings in 2022: $500 million (Image: Wikipedia)