Disney deal helps Colfer to €1.8m profit

The new figures show that crime - at least the fictional sort - continues to pay for the former Wexford primary school teacher, who has sold over 25 million books translated into 44 languages around the globe about the adventures of his teenage criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl.

In July of last year, Disney added to Colfer's coffers when they confirmed that the adventures of Artemis Fowl are to be made into a movie with one of Hollywood's best known actors, Robert de Niro, acting as executive producer on the project.

One of the most influential figures in cinema, Harvey Weinstein, is to produce, with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix scribe Michael Goldenberg writing the screenplay. The film will cover the first two books of the series.

best-selling

Colfer published the eighth and final book in the best-selling Artemis Fowl series in 2012 and the new accounts reflect the financial success of the last instalment.

They show that the married father of two's Artemis Fowl Ltd cash pile increased by over €100,000 from €1.738m to €1.843m in the 12 months to the end of December last, with accumulated profits increasing by €156,000 from €1.669m to €1.825m.

The jump in profits and cash is however down on the massive €946,226 hike in profits the firm enjoyed in 2012. The firm's cash pile increased by €919,000 the same year.

The 2013 accounts confirm that the firm's revenues are generated through amounts received for book advances and royalties during the year.

Colfer resigned from his teaching post after the success of the debut Artemis Fowl in 2001 and the earnings he now enjoys far outstrip what he would be earning as a teacher, with the salary scale of a primary school teacher after Government pay cuts going from €30,904 to €59,359.

The documents show that Colfer's wife Jackie also acts as a director of Artemis Fowl Ltd.

The 49-year old author has described the series as "Die Hard with fairies". The initial print run for the final Artemis book titled The Last Guardian ran to one million copies.

hnews@herald.ie