Nearly two months after it began, the legal feud between Netflix and the creators of the ‘Unofficial Bridgerton Musical‘ has been resolved. After accusing Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear of profiting off Bridgerton “without permission,” the distributor of the Regency romance has reached a settlement with the two songwriters.
Barlow and Bear’s response to the suit was due on September 22, but that retort never arrived. Instead, Netflix dropped the case a day later. In a brief notice, the streamer agreed to dismiss its legal action “with prejudice,” which means the lawsuit cannot be refiled in the future. Though the notice didn’t say why the case had been dismissed, Variety confirmed that the two parties were able to reach a settlement.
The ‘Unofficial Bridgerton Musical’ consisted of clever theatrical numbers inspired by the show’s characters, settings, themes, and plot. Barlow and Bear became quarantine-era stars by posting those songs on TikTok, where both women generated millions of likes. The success of the “unofficial” recordings culminated at the 2022 Grammys, where Barlow and Bear won an award for the Best Musical Theater Album.
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Emboldened by their meteoric rise, the songwriting duo began selling tickets for live performances of their ‘Unofficial Bridgerton Musical’ catalog. That’s when Netflix’s lawyers came calling. In its original complaint, the streamer alleged that Barlow and Bear refused to comply with its demands despite “repeated objections.” Bridgerton showrunner Shona Rhimes alleged that the TikTok stars were earning profits they were not entitled to. Julia Quinn, the author whose books inspired the series, expressed similar concerns.
The lawsuit forced Barlow and Bear to halt plans for additional live performances. Most notably, they canceled a concert that would have brought the ‘Unofficial Bridgerton Musical’ to London’s famed Royal Albert Hall. Though the songwriters may not have a chance to bring their TikTok hit to any more live audiences, they can still take advantage of the positive response their unofficial musical received. As they note on their website, their Bridgerton-themed recordings took them to the top of the Spotify charts. No matter what they write next, it’s bound to generate buzz as well.
Any future performances of the ‘Unofficial Bridgerton Musical’ would likely require Netflix’s consent. We don’t know how the streamer feels about that possibility, since the terms of the settlement haven’t been made public. According to Deadline, Netflix is “satisfied” with the results of the legal battle, but it hasn’t made a public comment on the dismissal of the case. Barlow and Bear have been quiet, too. I guess we’ll have to wait for Lady Whistledown’s next publication to learn the secrets of this settlement.
