Netflix sues creators of alleged 'Bridgerton' knockoff
Add BT as a preferred source
NETFLIX on Friday (Jul 29) sued the creators of an alleged unauthorized musical stage production of its popular period drama Bridgerton, accusing them of copyright infringement after building demand for their knockoff on TikTok.
The complaint was filed against Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear in the federal court in Washington, DC, 3 days after a sold-out performance of The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical in that city's Kennedy Center.
A lawyer for the defendants had no immediate comment, having yet to review the complaint.
Bridgerton, based on Julia Quinn's bestselling romance novels, attracted 82 million viewers in its first season on Netflix. It was renewed for a second season and inspired a spin-off series and live event, The Queen's Ball, hosted in 6 cities.
Netflix said after Bridgerton was first released in December 2020, the defendants started posting about the series to TikTok, where they have 2.4 million followers, including creating songs based on characters, scenes, dialogue and plot points.
The company said it warned the defendants repeatedly to stop, but they ploughed ahead with an album titled The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, which won a Grammy award, and their stage show.
Navigate Asia in
a new global order
Get the insights delivered to your inbox.
"Barlow & Bear's conduct began on social media, but stretches 'fan fiction' well past its breaking point," Netflix said. "It is blatant infringement of intellectual property rights."
The lawsuit seeks to stop the alleged infringements, plus unspecified damages. REUTERS
Decoding Asia newsletter: your guide to navigating Asia in a new global order. Sign up here to get Decoding Asia newsletter. Delivered to your inbox. Free.
Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services
