Michael Jackson again tops Forbes list of 'highest-earning dead celebrities'

For Michael Jackson once again raked in more than Elvis Presley to become the world's top earning dead celebrity of 2014.The music legend's estate continued to earn more than most celebrities in the land of the living with an altogether not Bad at all haul of $140m.  According to Forbes, he made almost three times as much as perennial list topper Elvis Presley, who made a relatively paltry $55 million in earnings over the same 12-month period.Jackson's estate made a fortune on the back of his second posthumous album release Xscape, which went straight in at number two in the charts.His profile was further bolstered by an holographic performance on stage at the Billboard Music Awards. His controversial appearance will no doubt pave the way for other dead celebrities as the technology advances to the point where we won’t be able to tell the difference.The star in ninth place Bettie Page, who made $9 million in earnings, is also to get the same treatment in a show about the her life which is set to open in Vegas next year, and will feature a hologram of one of her striptease acts.One person who will not be following in his footsteps will be Elvis, as he already had his own concert tour using the technology back in 2012.His rights were bought by Authentic Brands Group last year for $125 million, and his estate raked in a fortune due to Graceland tourism and his music library. However ABG plans is hoping to squeeze even more cash out of his franchise with a hologram show that could be up and running in Vegas early next year which could even seem him perform with a virtual Michael Jackson.Cartoonist Charles Schulz certainly did not make Peanuts, coming in at third with $40 million thanks to his popular characters, which include Charlie Brown and Snoopy.With money continuing to pour in from his comic strip, merchandising and MetLife MET -2.41% adverts, the franchise will get a further boost thanks to an upcoming 3-D movie from Fox studios. set to hit cinemas next year.(dailymail.co.uk)Bakudaily.Az