Daniel Radcliffe is the titular star of the eight Harry Potter films Warner Bros. produced. As happens with many franchises, as the movies became more of a success, landing on best movies of the 2000s lists, and the actor aged, the rate he earned per film increased. But how much did Daniel Radcliffe make for the Harry Potter movies?
Given how much Marvel stars' salaries are discussed, I was curious about the Harry Potter cast, as those numbers aren't discussed as much. So, I did some research, and here's what I found.
Radcliffe Can Claim Himself A Millionaire Many Times Over After His Franchise Work
Playing the kid with the lightning bolt-shaped scar was a lucrative venture, even early on. When Radcliffe was only 11, he filmed the first movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (also called Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone outside the States). That role required a lot of diligence and work from the young actor, but he was paid well for it, reportedly earning $145,000 for the first movie (though other outlets outlets report as much as $1 million for the first film).
For an 11-year-old that’s a pretty hefty number and more than most people earn in a year; however, as the franchise grew in popularity, so did the actor’s salary. Reports about The Chamber of Secrets had him making $3 million dollars. Subsequent reports that ran around in 2007 – the year Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out – had him making $14 million for that film.
By the time the young actors began filming the behemoth two-parter finale for the franchise Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, his value had skyrocketed. Reports at the time indicated Daniel Radcliffe made $40 million for those final two movies, with that salary split at $20 million per film.
Listen there are some gaps in the Daniel Radcliffe salary saga. For example, many of these numbers are estimated reports from places like Forbes. Not every salary for every Harry Potter movie has even been reported.
Then, there’s the other elephant in the room. We don’t know how much Emma Watson, Rupert Grint or Daniel Radcliffe make in residuals. The movies play on cable all the time and are popular streaming options as well, so that would be significant income earned years after the films’ release. They are most certainly getting residuals checks in the mail from the J.K. Rowling series, but it’s unclear what those look like. But for a frame of reference, a Titanic actor who only spoke one line still gets a check for hundreds of dollars each year. So for leads in an eight-movie franchise it would be much higher.
We know it must be a lot of additional moolah on top of the millions earned in salary, but the stars themselves even seem to not have an incredibly in-depth knowledge of how much Harry Potter has made them. Rupert Grint mentioned in a 2018 interview that he hasn’t kept tabs on his investments and the money made in his career.
I actually don't know how much I have. I couldn't even really guess.It doesn't really motivate me too much. It makes you comfortable, that's the good thing about it, I think. I'm glad it's there but I'm not really that focused on it.
Of course, Grint, Watson and Radcliffe have gone on to have successful careers outside of Harry Potter as well.
Daniel Radcliffe Is Still Bringing In Dough Years After Harry Potter Ended
Radcliffe’s career hasn’t slowed down since his Harry Potter days, but he’s taken on an eclectic smattering of roles, from theater work to indie films and even the occasional big budget romp like The Lost City. For that role, the actor’s salary reportedly mirrored that of Brad Pitt at $2 million dollars.
In the fall of 2023, his Broadway show Merrily We Roll Along broke records. In fact, Merrily We Roll Along made $1.3 million during its first week of previews, so theatrical work is adding to his resumé and his overall net worth as well.
Radcliffe still peppers in film roles in between successful Broadway roles. Those range in how big budget they are, but it’s safe to say the new dad is still pulling plenty of money from a wide-ranging and varied career and, of course, the money earned from repeats on streaming and traditional TV. As of 2021, the Sunday Times had estimated his net worth at a whopping £95 million, which translates to roughly $120 million dollars in U.S. terms. Not too shabby for someone who is still only in their thirties.
