“The key is to acquire smartly and then to execute on marketing ideas to grow the value.” “The reason these families partner with us is because they want us to reintroduce the brand and the incredible music to a new youth culture,” says Larry Mestel, founder and CEO of Primary Wave, which is responsible for Bing Crosby’s first appearance on the Dead Celebrities list after buying a piece of the singer’s master recordings as well as his name and likeness for roughly $30 million. Falling off are Kobe Bryant and Freddie Mercury, who both saw a one-time spike of interest in 2020, as well as Marilyn Monroe, whose predictable licensing revenue stream was nudged out by the spate of acquisitions.
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David Bowie’s estate is rumored to be next in line for a catalog buyout, with bids approaching $200 million. In addition to Dahl, this year’s newcomers include Luther Vandross, Bing Crosby, and songwriter Gerry Goffin (“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “The Loco-Motion”), all of whom benefitted in the afterlife from Primary Wave being willing to pay for their recurring royalty streams. In all, this year’s Dead Celebrities earned a collective $960 million, more than triple last year’s haul. Seuss Enterprises, for instance, almost doubled the late author’s average earnings over the past five years. They can all thank an escalating arms race for content that in recent years has enriched the world’s most enduring creators - both living and dead.
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Seuss ($35 million) round out the top five. Peanuts creator Charles Schulz ($40 million) and Dr. 3 with $75 million, after unloading a minority piece of his catalog of classic pop songs he started collecting while alive. Michael Jackson – who topped our list for eight straight years from 2013 to 2020 – comes in at No. Willy Wonka: “But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.” Charlie Bucket: “What happened?” Willy Wonka: “He lived happily ever after.” 2 spot this year with $120 million, thanks to a deal his siblings made to sell an estimated 43% of the estate, which includes his catalog with hits like “When Doves Cry” and “Little Red Corvette,” to music publishing and management company Primary Wave.
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(According to filings in the U.K., Dahl’s heirs had at least a 75% stake in the Roald Dahl Story Company before it was acquired.) Prince takes the No. The sale gives the famed children's author a commanding perch at the top of the 2021 Forbes list of Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities with earnings of $513 million. It has plans to create Dahl-themed video games, immersive experiences, live theater, consumer products and more. The streamer now has total control of Dahl creations that have sold more than 300 million books and spawned blockbuster films, including the two based on Charlie that together have grossed more than $1 billion at the box office. With a budget of this size, it makes more sense for Netflix to own the Dahl library outright.
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#Luther vandross songs album tv
The streaming giant plans to build out a sweeping flood of programming from the British novelist’s trove of stories including Charlie, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda and scores more.ĭahl’s deal with Netflix grows out of a deal signed in 2018 to produce a slate of animated TV shows, one of which is based on Willy Wonka’s orange-skinned, green-haired Oompa Loompa candy makers, for $1 billion. In September, 31 years after Dahl died of cancer at age 74, Netflix paid a reported $684 million for the Roald Dahl Story Company.