EXCLUSIVE: JK Rowling has pocketed an £8.25M ($10.5M) paycheck after stage show Harry Potter And The Cursed Child proved to be a post-pandemic crowd pleaser.
HPTP Holdings, the parent company for Rowling’s theatrical interests, paid out the dividend as productions of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child reopened doors to audiences.
The company said ticket sales had returned to pre-pandemic levels in London, where the Sonia Friedman Productions and Playground Entertainment co-production plays at the Palace Theatre.
The Broadway version of the show, staged at the Lyric Theatre, has moved into profit, according to HPTP Holdings earnings filed at UK Companies House.
HPTP Holdings posted revenues of £14M in the 12 months to the end of March 2023, a 300% increase on £3.5M the previous year. The sales are likely to be a record for Rowling’s theatre companies.
Some £5.3M of the company’s revenue was generated in Europe, while a further £4.6M and £4.1M came from the U.S. and the rest of the world respectively.
HPTP Holdings’ pre-tax profits stood at £5.7M this year, compared with £1.1M in the year to March 2022.
The strong financial performance shows the resilience of the Harry Potter brand despite Rowling attracting controversy over her views on transgender rights.
Rowling, who this year gave her blessing to the development of a Harry Potter TV series, has a net worth of £875M, according to The Sunday Times.
HPTP Holdings’ sole director is Neil Blair, Rowling’s longtime agent. The Blair Partnership declined to comment beyond the HPTP Holdings accounts.