Netflix has dismissed the lawsuit against Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the creators behind The Unofficial Bridgerton Musicalas previously reported by Variety and Deadline. A copy of the court file obtained by Deadline indicates that Netflix has proceeded to “disavow this biased action”, meaning the streamer will not be able to reopen the case in the future.
The duo were supposed to respond to Netflix’s complaint on Thursday, but that never happened, and Netflix dismissed the lawsuit on Friday. It’s unclear if they’ve reached a settlement with the streamer, but the two eventually settled cancel their concert on September 20th last month at the Royal Albert Hall in London, where they would play their songs with the BBC Orchestra.
In July, Netflix sued Barlow and Bear after hosting a live, sold-out concert dedicated to their… BridgertonWashington DC-inspired album, which claims the performance was not authorized by the company, and that the pair’s “fanfiction” extends well past the breaking point. It also argued it could cause confusion for fans wishing to attend Netflix’s own Bridgerton Experience Bridgertonthemed event that it is holding in several cities, including Washington DC.
Barlow and Bear started making music inspired by Netflix’s Bridgerton series on TikTok after the show’s premiere in 2020. The project eventually culminated in a 15-song album that scooped a Grammy earlier this year. Netflix initially expressed support for the music, with a post on the Streamer’s Twitter account saying it was “blown away” by the way the project unfolded.
The edge contacted Netflix and Barlow and Bear for comment about the dismissal of the case, but did not immediately hear back.