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The insane money JK Rowling has made from Harry Potter.

 

According to a report in British newspaper The Sun, the much loved Harry Potter franchise has made an astronomical $9.94 billion since the last book was published in 2007. And thanks to ongoing and future sales associated with the franchise, that figure could go up to as high as $22.54 billion in the coming years.

Of this, 50-year-old Rowling’s personal fortune is estimated at approximately $702.73 million.

While the franchise figures on their own are jaw-dropping, they’re not entirely surprising given the widespread love and acclaim for the series about a boy wizard.

The first book hit the shelves in 1997 and the story of a young boy’s entry into the world of magic quickly took the world by storm. Seven books and eight films followed, as well as computer games, theme parks, spin-off stories and more merchandise than you could imagine.

Now, 19 years and 450 million copies later, the stories are the best-selling series in the world.

And with three major releases set for this year alone, the franchise shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

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Told in two parts, the stage play Harry Potter And The Cursed Child is set to make its West End debut in July, with advance ticket sales already amassing a staggering $168.39 million.

In November, the story of Newt Scamander and the pre-Potter wizarding world will make its way to the silver screen in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, starring award-winning Eddie Redmayne.

Video via Warner Bros

In the lead-up to the film’s release, Rowling has begun releasing a new story series via the franchise’s official website Pottermore called History of Magic in North America. While the series copped flak last week for its depiction of Native Americans, it too is set to be a major commercial success.

Though Rowling’s rags to riches story is now part of modern-day folklore, the author continues to donate huge sums of money to charities around the world.