Perry stands out as one of few actors to make it on to the list. Alongside his Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, and Matt LeBlanc, he’s estimated to make about US$18m a year in royalties from the show.
The 13 highest-earning dead celebrities of 2024:
Michael Jackson, US$600m ($1.3b)Michael Jackson on stage with Lisa Marie Presley at Radio City Music Hall in 1994. Photo / Getty Images
Jackson died on June 25, 2009, but is still making millions thanks to the internationally touring MJ: The Musical, with tickets for the 2025 opening in Germany said to be selling out. According to Forbes, productions of the shows in London, Las Vegas and throughout the US earn $6m a week.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.Freddie Mercury, US$250m ($417.9m)Freddie Mercury and Brian May performing in London in 1985. Photo / Getty Images
Thanks to Queen’s sale of its catalogue in June, Mercury is the second-highest earning celebrity on this list – partly thanks to the biopic Bohemian Rhapsody starring Rami Malek. The singer died on November 24, 1991.
Dr Seuss, US$75m ($125m)American author Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr Seuss, in 1976. Photo / News Corp Australia
The iconic children’s author and artist Theodor Seuss Geisel, known as Dr Seuss, lives on in his books The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, The Lorax, The Cat In The Hat and countless others. Proceeds from TV and movie versions of his works, as well as theme parks and merchandise, add to his earnings. Geisel died of cancer on September 24, 1991.
Elvis Presley, US$50m ($83m)Elvis Presley with his wife Priscilla Presley and their daughter Lisa Marie Presley in 1968. Photo / Getty Images
Elvis Presley died of a heart attack on August 16, 1977 – but since then he’s made millions thanks to music streaming, licensing, and revenue generated by his former home of Graceland in Memphis, which saw 600,000 guests over the past year.
Ric Ocasek, US$45m ($75m)Musician Ric Ocasek pictured in 2015. Photo / Getty Images
The Cars frontman Ric Ocasek died on September 15, 2019 at 75, and has earned millions since then thanks to a deal with Primary Wave, which has a stake in his name, image and likeness, and publishing rights. He wrote the single Just What I Needed for the group, one of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Prince, US$35m ($58m)Prince sold over 100 million records during his career. Photo / AFP
Following Prince’s death on April 21, 2016, he’s made millions in income from the masters of his albums, as well as revenue from his image, name, and likeness, and guests at Paisley Park. In July, it was reported that an upcoming Netflix documentary about his life may never be released due to protests from his estate.
Bob Marley, US$34m ($56m)Reggae musician, songwriter, and singer Bob Marley in Sweden. Photo / Getty Images
Reggae icon Bob Marley’s income comes from his music catalogue, merchandise, and licensing – and saw a steep increase with the release of the biopic Bob Marley: One Love. He died of cancer on May 11, 1981 at 36.
Charles M. Schulz, US$30m ($50m)Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip. Photo / Getty Images
Peanuts cartoonist Schulz earned millions this year thanks to streaming and brand collaborations, with fan accounts generating interest on social media services such as TikTok and merchandise at US retail chains Urban Outfitters and CVS selling out. Schulz died on February 12, 2000.
Matthew Perry, US$18m ($30m)Matthew Perry died in October 2023. Photo / Getty Images
Friends star Matthew Perry’s October 2023 death after an accidental ketamine overdose sent shockwaves around the world. Since then, at least five people have been charged in relation to his death. The actor’s 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing has sold more than 2.5 million copies over the past two years, and he’s earned millions in royalties from the hit TV show since his death.
John Lennon, US$17m ($28m)Former Beatle John Lennon pictured in 1977 in New York City. Photo / Getty Images
John Lennon continues to make millions from the Beatles’ music since his death in December 1980. Last year, Kiwi director Sir Peter Jackson used AI to release Lennon’s previously unfinished demo, titled Now And Then – which fellow Beatle Paul McCartney has called “the last Beatles song”.
James Brown, US$15m ($25m)R&B singer and songwriter James Brown performs in London in 1985. Photo / Getty Images
James Brown’s music earns him millions of dollars each year, with the restoration of his mansion in South Carolina expected to turn his former home into a tourist destination like Elvis Presley’s Graceland. Brown died on Christmas Day in 2006.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.Arnold Palmer, US$14m ($23m)Arnold Palmer pictured in 2007.
Golf legend Arnold Palmer’s iconic homemade drink has earned him millions of dollars since his death in September 2016, with US brand Arizona’s version selling around 500 million cans of iced tea each year and earning royalties for his estate, reports Forbes.
Whitney Houston, US$13m ($21m)Singer Whitney Houston performs in Las Vegas in 2004. Photo / Getty Images
Since iconic singer Whitney Houston’s death in February 2012, she has earned millions in Las Vegas via slot machines, with fans gambling their earnings at Houston-branded slots playing her videos and music and thus earning royalties.