Michael Jackson's final act of "dying young" has placed the singer in a very select group of "immortal" pop icons whose estates live on long after their death.
Michael Jackson's sudden death has turned out to be a final act that has clearly resuscitated a once-faltering career.
"This is It," a film on the final Los Angeles rehearsals before Jackson's death on June 25, hits theaters on Wednesday and looks to be one of the biggest movies of the year. A two-disc Jackson album, by the same name goes on sale the day before. It is also expected to be a top seller.
Joseph Maddalena, President and CEO of the celebrity memorabilia auction house, "Profiles In History" says that just about anything involving the singer, has more value today than it did when Jackson was alive.
"I think it will skyrocket. Michael Jackson is not your average entertainer. Michael Jackson now goes into the ranks of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. He is a tragedy of Hollywood and a tragedy of the entertainment industry," he said.
In recent years, the Jackson brand though had been severely diminished, hurt by child molestation charges, erratic behavior and financial problems - there were reports that Jackson left debts estimated by some to be around 500 million US dollars.
But as with Presley, Monroe, Dean and others, Jackson's estate is expected to profit from his "dying young."
"When Elvis died it was the same thing, The estate had a chance to regenerate, the money, the royalties, the merchandise , the licensing , the money started coming back in. It is self perpetuating, Michael Jackson's estate in a few years will be a billion dollars. It is such a giant asset base," Mr Maddalena said.
Kenneth Hertz, a lawyer and entertainment strategy consultant believes that Jackson's long career is unique. He points out that while the recent passing of stars Farrah Fawcett and Patrick Swayze generated a spike in interest, achieving true iconic immortality is reserved for a select few.
"Maybe the truth of the matter is that it is magic. The factors align sometimes and they don't align in other cases. Clearly, in the case of Michael Jackson the factors have aligned and his estate is enjoying the benefit of the financial success of the type of following."
The fact that Jackson's incredibly long career has been forever captured on music videos, records, dvd's and iTunes, offers up a lifetime of work that will surely live on well past his untimely death.