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An extravagant bidding war has started for the first exclusive pictures of Brangelina's twins. And the price? A whopping $15 million (Dh55 million). People magazine and OK! both desperate to land the deal are reportedly at the front of the queue, with a spokesman for the glossy celebrity mag OK! saying it would be “foolish"not to bid for the photos of the twins' arrival.
It's not the first time a new addition to the Jolie-Pitt clan has sparked a media frenzy. In 2006 the couple sold exclusive snaps of newborn Shiloh, setting a pricey precedent for celebrity baby pics.
And let's face it you can understand why editors were ruthless in their pursuit of the young Shiloh. When Branglina's relationship first took off, the world was over-awed thanks to the combination of the world's two hottest actors and the controversy surrounding their union. Angie's pregnancy was just the icing on the cake. Everyone wondered what the most genetically blessed baby on Earth would look like. It was a question that People magazine and Hello! were willing to pay a whopping $10 million (Dh36.7 million) to have answered.
So far Shiloh's baby pics were the world's most expensive. And while her humanitarian-minded parents generously donated all the proceeds to their favourite charities other celebs are not as holier-than-thou. For some A-listers those all-important baby pics are a sure way to spark interest in an floundering career or give a boost next month's pay cheque. And the public can't seem to get enough. Yep, baby pics are hot currency.
Pax Thien $2 million
Pics of Brangelina's third adopted child earned the couple $2 million (Dh7.3 million) when the first pictures were published in People magazine. The newest addition to the family proved big business for the star-gazing industry.
Max $1.5 million
Pictures of Christina Aguilera and hubby Jordan Bratman's tot were sold to People magazine for $1.5 million (Dh5.5 million). Aguilera caused controversy by refusing to share the cover with Nicole Richie. Reports surfaced that after months of negotiating, a deal between the pint-sized singer and an unnamed celeb magazine came to a halt for failing to guarantee her a full-cover photo.
Christina and Nicole's cover war didn't to Aguilera's reputation any favours, with one disgruntled source telling reporters: “Christina has an inflated sense of her own value and seems to expect an extortionate amount of money for these baby pictures.”
While Christina secured a better deal than Nicole, sales of the magazine were disappointing — a fact that deeply upset the singer.
Harlow Winter $1 million
The daughter of Nicole Richie and Joel Madden fetched
$1 million (Dh3.6 million) for a photoshoot with People magazine — although the interest seemed to have stemmed more from a fascination in the reformed bad-girl mum than her newborn.
Max and Emme $6 million
J -Lo and hubby Marc Anthony's first-born twins fetched a whopping $6 million (Dh22 million), according to Forbes magazine. Those all-important first pictures were published in People magazine in March 2008. Lopez kept her bump a secret throughout much of her pregnancy, causing a media guessing game and pap frenzy to get those first snaps. Her tactic worked — making her tots the highest earning baby breadwinners for a single deal.
Suri $3 million
The birth of Suri Cruise sparked an insatiable tot-hunt. The new-born wasn't snapped for five months after her birth and newspapers sparked frenzied rumours to explain her absence from public life — including did she even exist?
A July cover of Star magazine read: "What's Wrong With Baby Suri? Why Is Katie Hiding Her?" A US Weekly cover story read "Baby mystery: Best friends' visits denied, baby photos cancelled, a wedding delayed, and Katie in seclusion."
And then came the Vanity Fair pictures a shot of thick black hair, a happy-looking baby and the world was won over. In the accompanying story, Holmes said "we weren't trying to hide anything… The stories are not okay. It eats away at me because it's just not okay."
First pictures were reported to be worth $3 million (Dh11 million).
Kingston $575,000
Son of hot-mamma Gwen Stefani and playmate of Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Kingston Rossdale's first pictures were first released on his mum's official website a useful tactic to avoid the media malestrom. A full spread was later released to OK! magazine for a reported $575,000 (Dh2.1 million).
Sean Preston $500,000
Snaps of Britney's first-born went for a reported $500,000 (Dh1.8 million). The revenue from the People magazine pics was donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Dannielynn $2 million
Before her untimely death, Anna Nicole Smith and dad Larry Birkhead sold their exclusive baby pics to OK! magazine for $2 million (Dh7.3 million). Her mother's subsequent death and father's high-profile custody battle sent the tabloids into overdrive.
Mum and dads to be
Matthew McConaughey: The race is on for the highest bidder for Matt junior. Pictures are rumoured to fetch over $1 million (Dh3.6 million) — with the price still on the rise.
America's biggest magazines have launched a bidding war over the first photograph of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's twins — and are willing to pay up to $15 million (Dh55 million) for the exclusive snaps.
More expectant mums:
Nicole Kidman
Jamie-Lynn Spears
Jessica Alba
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