Netflix Sues Songwriters Behind Unauthorized ‘Bridgerton’ Musical After For-Pay Performance

thewrap.com:

Netflix initially supported the idea when it debuted as a free online tribute. The problem between them began on July 26, 2022, when Barlow and Bear staged what Netflix says is a “for-profit” performance of “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical Album Live in Concert” for a sold-out crowd at the Kennedy Center, with tickets ranging up to $149 each.According to the lawsuit, the live show featured over a dozen songs with verbatim dialogue from the series, along with “dramatic portrayals of ‘Bridgerton’ characters by Broadway actors, emoting through the performance of the songs that comprise the ‘musical.’” Netflix says Barlow and Bear “misrepresented to the audience that they were using Netflix’s BRIDGERTON trademark ‘with Permission,’ while Netflix vigorously objected.”“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 stated. “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.”Now, the suit says, Barlow and Bear “announced they intend to stage yet another performance of their unauthorized derivative works at the Royal Albert Hall in London, making this a world tour.” In addition, the suit claims that the team even promoted their own line of “Bridgerton”-themed merchandise.Netflix is asking to be “entitled to recover its reasonable.