Film

Vampires Have Brought In $7 Billion to Hollywood Economy Since Nov. 2008

In unrelated news, hobgoblin revenue drops

by Josh Kurp   |   Aug 25, 2010

Vampires Have Brought In $7 Billion to Hollywood Economy Since Nov. 2008

Photo: HBO

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According to the Hollywood Reporter, vampires have brought $7 billion to Hollywood’s economy since November 2008 (conspiracy with Obama, I’m sure). That’s less than two years ago! Jay A. Fernandez and Borys Kit, who wrote the article, said, “Because they’re not specific to genre, vampires have the freedom to roam not just across mediums but from romance to horror to political commentary to humor. Their versatility is endless, swinging from chaste innocence to sexy violence, so the potential audience is everyone.”

Here’s the breakdown, with just a few examples of each:

Film: $3 billion (Twilight series, Vampires Suck)

http://www.collider.com/wp-content/image-base/Movies/T/Twilight_New_Moon/Movie_Posters/the%20wolf%20pack%20movie%20poster%20Twilight%20New%20Moon.jpg

Publishing: $1.6 billion (Twilight)

http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs41/f/2009/013/8/9/Twilight_Saga__Books_Wallpaper_by_miratio.jpg

Merchandising: $600 million (Robert Pattinson everything)

http://static.entertainmentwise.com/photos/Image/TWILIGHTDOLLS430.jpg

TV, DVDs: $1.2 billion (True Blood, Buffy, The Vampire Diaries)

http://www.watchtruebloodseries.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/true_blood_s1e4.jpg

Other: $600 million (soundtracks)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z6ROznJIyC8/Sn9nLKXkEkI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/yB3lGwVsXfc/s400/Twilight+Soundtrack.jpg

To put seven billion into perspective, that’s the number of people who will be living in the world in 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Currently, there are about 6.8 billion. So, basically, everyone in the world has spent money to see or read something vampire-related in the past two years. In that time, I’m guilty of purchasing: Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVD boxset, tickets for Twilight and New Moon (saw Eclipse for free, luckily), actual Tru Blood drink at HBO Store, renting The Lost Boys and Interview with a Vampire via Netflix, and I’m planning on seeing Let Me In when it’s released in October. I’ve also gone to three Buffy-related commercial events, if those count. We’re all to blame. But, yeah, mostly people like me.

I’m terrified to know how much revenue a replica of Bella’s engagement ring has made.