I don’t know where you are, but here in Norway, people tend to get paid when their work is used for commercial or entertainment purposes.

Of course, very few can live off of royalties alone, but a lot of artists get a considerable amount income from their previous works.

(Edited in total, I matched the anger I felt from what I was answering to, and decided to moderate)

Any experienced union film director, editor, DOP, writer, sound designer comes to mind (at least where I’m from)

I know quite a few people who rely on royalties for a good chunk of their income. That includes musicians, visual artists and film workers.

Saying it doesn’t exist seems very ignorant.