Highest Paid Game of Thrones Actors
Kit Harington, who played Jon Snow, became one of the top earners in the series thanks to backend profit participation and later stage and television work tied to the franchise. Reports and industry estimates place his cumulative earnings from the show and related projects among the highest for any cast member according to Forbes. Emilia Clarke, who played Daenerys Targaryen, also earned substantial compensation, with some reports suggesting she was among the highest paid actors on the show in later seasons per Forbes.
Peter Dinklage, who portrayed Tyrion Lannister, earned a reported salary of around 500,000 dollars per episode in the final season, making him one of the highest paid actors on television during that period. His later projects, including voice work and prestige television, have been closely linked to the visibility he gained from the series as noted by Forbes. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who played Jaime Lannister, similarly benefited from backend deals and international syndication royalties that continue to generate income.
Creators, Showrunners, and Producers
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators and showrunners of Game of Thrones, negotiated backend profit participation and production fees that made them among the highest paid television creators during the run of the series. Their overall deal with HBO included compensation tied to the show's massive global viewership and subsequent streaming performance per HBO official materials. George R.R. Martin, the author of the original A Song of Ice and Fire books, earned substantial royalties from book sales, licensing, and adaptation deals that were amplified by the show's popularity.
HBO, the network behind the series, captured the majority of direct revenue through subscription fees, international licensing, and home entertainment sales. The network's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, continues to benefit from streaming data and library value tied to the franchise per SEC filings. The show's production companies, Television 360 and Startling Television, also earned fees and profit participation structured around the escalating budgets of later seasons.
Franchise Revenue, Merchandise, and Licensing
Game of Thrones generated billions of dollars in total franchise revenue through television licensing, streaming rights, merchandise, and theme park integrations. HBO Max, now known as Max, leverages the series as a cornerstone of its streaming library, driving subscriber acquisition and retention globally as reported by Forbes. Licensing deals for apparel, collectibles, and video games have created a persistent revenue stream that extends well beyond the original broadcast window.
The success of the franchise