The stars of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter adaptation could be multi-millionaires before turning 18 – according to an eye-watering salary prediction.
Last week, fans got a first look at the streamer’s take on JK Rowling’s first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which is set to hit our screens around Christmas this year.
The ambitious project will see each book adapted into a separate television season, allowing the franchise to be adapted in greater detail than ever before, at an estimated cost of millions per episode.
It’s also a lengthy commitment for all the actors signed on, with production estimated to span 10 years, meaning it will likely be a career-defining role for most of the cast.
However, that isn’t without hefty financial gains.
How much will the stars of the new Harry Potter franchise make?
According to The Sun, a TV insider has touted a £500,000 paycheck for stars Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout.
“This is a whopping payday for three kids who haven’t even hit their teenage years yet — and it’s just the beginning,” the insider claimed.
“They’re being paid £500,000 for the first series. If they keep this up, they’re on track to be multi-millionaires before they turn 18.”
McLaughlin, Stanton and Stout landed the respective roles of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley after taking part in a massive auditioning process, which reportedly saw over 32,000 children try out for the roles, per BBC.
“It’s a lot of money for young kids to be handed overnight, but they’re about to become three of the most famous children in the world,” the source added.
“Similarly to when Daniel [Radcliffe], Emma [Watson] and Rupert [Grint] were cast, their lives are going to change forever.”
The role will be life-changing for the young actors (HBO)How much did the original Harry Potter stars make?
According to figures shared by Metro, Daniel Radcliffe made £1 million for his work as The Boy Who Lived in the first film.
By the time it came to shooting Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which had been split into two films, Radcliffe is said to have made £37.5 million for his work, with total estimated earnings, including residuals, coming in at around £96 million.
In an interview with Parade in 2012, the Woman in Black star said it was ‘ridiculous’ how well paid he was from Harry Potter, adding: “If somebody asked me, ‘Did you think you deserve that money?’ No, of course I didn’t. ‘But would you have taken it anyway?’ Of course.”
He went on to say that he felt ‘almost guilty’ for ‘having done so well out of Potter’, but that there’s a ‘moral imperative to help others’ using his huge platform.
The OG trio, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint made a ton from their time in the franchise (Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Watson and Grint are estimated to have made around £49 million and £21 million for their work as Harry’s best friends (according to MailOnline) – a payday which has certainly set them up for life.
Grint told Variety last month that because of his earnings from Harry Potter, he can be more choosy about the projects he takes, a privilege he is very ‘aware’ of.
“It was hard work, but those movies have allowed us to pick and choose, which is just such a gift. Obviously, it doesn’t mean you’re always going to choose the right thing. But I do feel very lucky for that,” he said.
In 2010, Watson said to Vogue UK that she had ‘no idea’ how much she was earning until her dad sat her down and told her, adding: “By the third or fourth film, the money was starting to get serious.
“I had no idea. I felt sick, very emotional.”