The Biggest-Earning Dead Celebrity This Year Made P25.7 Billion

Ever wondered what happens to the estates of the famously deceased? Well, they’re still earning even long after they’ve passed away. Curiously enough, something as simple as owning the rights to a piece of art or literature can greatly benefit your loved ones long after you’re gone. Just look at deceased millionaires like Roald Dahl and Michael Jackson, whose respective wealth skyrocketed after they died. 

When you die, the revenues and royalties of the property you own, whether that’s real estate or a popular novel, go to your heirs—the lucky and trusted beneficiaries of your estate. For Roald Dahl, those were his children, who lived on the inheritance left behind by their father. Dahl died in 1990, but his memory is immortalized in literature as he is regarded as one of the greatest children’s authors of all time.

When an opportunity presented itself, Netflix was quick to negotiate a deal with Dahl’s heirs that would allow Netflix to acquire the Roald Dahl Story Company and all of the iconic intellectual properties under it. In return, the Dahl heirs earned a whopping $513 million in 2021, making the late Roald Dahl the highest-earning dead person this year on Forbes’ (deceased) rich list. 

Dahl wasn’t the only one whose legacy increased in monetary value in 2021. Other big posthumous earners in 2021 were: Prince, whose siblings sold 43 percent of his estate this year; Michael Jackson, who’s stayed at the top of the list since 2013; and Charles Schulz, the famed cartoonist behind Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Big names like Dr. Seuss, Bing Crosby, and Elvis Presley were on the list, as they are year after year. But one curious thing you’ll notice from all the people mentioned above is that they’re all artists, writers, and creatives. 

Forbes rich lists are often dominated by tech tycoons, so it’s a curious sight to see some of history’s most creative people be named among the biggest posthumous earners of the year. They say you can’t take your money to the grave, but in the case of the families of these artists, musicians, and writers, their heirs can live off of the priceless legacy of these cultural icons. 

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