Netflix drops lawsuit against unofficial Bridgerton musical creators

A fraught chapter in the Bridgerton saga has seemingly drawn to a close. 

Netflix has dropped its lawsuit against the hit musical adaptation of the hit series (and the novels they’re based on), it has been revealed. 

Based on the seminal streamed series of the same name, Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow’s Grammy award-winning musical, which started life on TikTok, was due to be staged in London this month, following a concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC earlier this month. That London concert, at the Royal Albert Hall, was cancelled. 

The series itself is based on Julia Quinn’s series of novels, following a well-respected yet scandal-prone family in early 19th century England. Bridgerton first appeared on Netflix at the beginning of 2021, instantly becoming a national sensation. A second season was released late last year. 

The dropping of the lawsuit is no surprise: Netflix was explicitly seeking to block the staging of the show in London, with this concert now no longer taking place. It is unknown if there are any future plans for live performances of the stage show.

Netflix had said during their initial filing that they had: “offered Barlow & Bear a license that would allow them to proceed with their scheduled live performances at the Kennedy Center and Royal Albert Hall, continue distributing their album, and perform their Bridgerton-inspired songs live as part of larger programs going forward.” The duo reportedly refused the offer.