Based on Netflix’s fan-favourite series Bridgerton, The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, the Grammy Award-winning singers Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear is being sued by the streaming giant, according to Broadway World. Bear produced the record and Barlow sang her heart out, thus the duo became popular on TikTok. The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, hosted the duo earlier this week, and they played to a packed house. According to a complaint filed in London’s Royal Albert Hall, the couple hopes to tour and sell Bridgerton-themed items, despite the streamer’s initial support for a free online tribute to the musical’s concept.
According to the lawsuit, There were over a dozen songs in the live performance that were direct rip-offs of Bridgerton the show’s vocabulary, character features, and expressions. It featured Broadway players portraying Bridgerton characters in dramatic roles, expressing their emotions via the musical’s lyrics. A major piece of intellectual property from the Netflix original series Bridgerton has been stolen by defendants Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear and their firms (“Barlow & Bear”). Additionally, the streamer has taken issue with the team deceiving the public by advertising that they were utilising Netflix’s Bridgerton trademark “with Permission.”
An attorney for Netflix said in her case, “Bridgerton represents hundreds of artists and Netflix workers’ creative effort and hard-earned accomplishment.” Bridgerton songs, musicals, and any other derivative works based on Bridgerton are solely the property of Netflix. Without permission, Barlow & Bear cannot seize that privilege, which has been made valuable by the labour of others. “Yet they’ve done just that” Netflix is promoting a six-city event dubbed the Bridgerton Experience that invites fans to immerse themselves in the drama. According to the steamer, Barlow and Bear’s work is at odds with their own. In a statement, a Netflix spokesman said, “We’ve tried hard to engage with Barlow & Bear, and they have refused to comply. ”
In Bridgerton, the cast and crew have given everything they’ve got, and we’re standing up for their rights.” Shonda Rhimes, the show’s creator, remarked, “What started as a lighthearted social media celebration by Barlow & Bear has morphed into the brazen stealing of intellectual property exclusively for Barlow & Bear’s financial advantage.” Innumerable people worked tirelessly to bring Julia Quinn’s vision to life on television. Netflix, like Barlow & Bear, cannot sit idly by while Barlow & Bear appropriate Bridgerton’s IP for financial gain. Additionally, the suit claims that Barlow and Bear rejected a licencing deal from Netflix prior to their July 26th performance. At this moment, neither member of the pair has commented on the case. Filming for the third season of Bridgerton is presently taking place.