Netflix sues the songwriting team behind the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical for infringement.
According to Deadline, the streaming company filed a lawsuit against Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. The filing comes just days after the two sold out the Kennedy Center for the viewing of the musical.
“Defendants Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear and their companies (Barlow & Bear) have taken valuable intellectual property from the Netflix original series Bridgerton to build an international brand for themselves,” the lawsuit states.
It continues, “Bridgerton reflects the creative work and hard-earned success of hundreds of artists and Netflix employees. Netflix owns the exclusive right to create Bridgerton songs, musicals, or any other derivative works based on Bridgerton. Barlow & Bear cannot take that right—made valuable by others’ hard work—for themselves without permission. Yet that is exactly what they have done.”
Initially, the streaming company supported the musical when it first debuted online for free. However, Netflix now believes the performance is now “for-profit,” with tickets selling up to $149 each.
“Netflix supports fan-generated content, but Barlow & Bear have taken this many steps further,” a Netflix representative says. “Seeking to create multiple revenue streams for themselves without formal permission to utilize the Bridgerton IP. We’ve tried hard to work with Barlow & Bear, and they have refused to cooperate. The creators, cast, writers, and crew have poured their hearts and souls into Bridgerton, and we’re taking action to protect their rights.”
