Let’s do the numbers: The Harry Potter empire
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Let’s do the numbers: The Harry Potter empire
J.K. Rowlings’ latest book “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” debuts this weekend. It’s the script to a new play, not a novel, but it’s already broken presale records and inspired the geekiest flash mob ever (thanks, Scholastic).
The first Harry Potter book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” was first released in 1998 and the muggle world has been at franchise’s mercy ever since. Books, merchandise, theme parks, a blockbuster movie franchise and one play later, fans were still wanting more.
Before you get in line or dress up in wizarding wear for whatever midnight book launch party you’re going to Saturday night, check out the numbers on this ever-growing empire:
The books: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is the most pre-ordered book since “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” in 2007, according to Barnes & Noble. “Deathly Hallows” sold 8.3 million in the first 24 hours and 11.5 million it first 10 days, according to Scholastic.
The play: The latest book is the script of the play, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” which was previewed in June, but officially opened this week. It’s already sold out until next May, but the show announced this week that it would release another 250,000 tickets soon.
The theme parks: Universal Studios in California opened a The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park earlier this year, and its presence was expected to increase park attendance by 20 percent and bring in $100 million in the next year. Theme park franchise has done well overall. When a similar attraction opened at Universal’s Orlando, Florida. theme park in 2010, attendance went up 30 percent (the park’s rival Disney’s Magic Kingdom saw its numbers drop by 1.5 percent in the same time). The new Harry Potter park includes a 200-foot-tall Hogwarts Castle and Butterbeer, which costs between $4.50 and $6.50, depending on how you want it served.
The movies: Warner Bros. Harry Potter movie franchise has raked in $7.7 billion in the box office worldwide. The most successful movie in the series was “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II,” which raked in $1.3 billion in box office sales worldwide. The studio is hoping to take advantage of the demand for Harry Potter by releasing a spin-off, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” due out in November.
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