Netflix Documentary 'Dynasty: The Murdochs' on Media Empire Succession

Netflix is preparing for the premiere of a high-budget documentary series that promises to look behind the scenes of one of the world's most powerful media empires. The four-part production 'Dynasty: The Murdochs', scheduled for release on March 13th, aims to present an exhaustive history of Rupert Murdoch's career and the complicated relationships within his family. The creators emphasize that the film is based on thousands of pages of previously unpublished documents, emails, and text messages, which should provide an unprecedented insight into the private power plays. The central theme of the documentary is the struggle for succession in the media empire that the patriarch has built over more than eight decades. Rupert Murdoch began building his media empire in the 1950s, inheriting a small newspaper in Adelaide, Australia, from his father. Through aggressive acquisitions and expansion into British and American markets, he created a global powerhouse controlling, among others, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and The Times. His media outlets have often been accused of shaping public debate and influencing election outcomes in many democracies. The series focuses on the decades-long tensions between the now 95-year-old Rupert Murdoch, his chosen successor, eldest son Lachlan, and his three other adult children: James, Elisabeth, and Prudence. According to the preview, the documentary does not shy away from the recent, high-profile court battle in the state of Nevada. The dispute concerned the structure of the trust that was to determine control over the assets after the patriarch's death. Although the younger siblings initially obtained a ruling favorable to them from a county commissioner, both sides of the conflict reached a multi-billion dollar settlement last September. Under its terms, the now 54-year-old Lachlan Murdoch will retain control over the family's key assets at least until 2050. The trailer for the production, already published, clearly references the popular HBO series 'Succession', widely considered a fictional inspiration drawn from the real-life saga of the Murdoch family. „"Dynasty: The Murdochs offers an unprecedented look at one the world's most powerful families at a crossroads, as its patriarch, Rupert Murdoch, makes one last play to ensure his legacy at all costs."” — Netflix The production aims to show how private ambitions, politics, and the desire for paternal love tore apart a family whose business decisions shaped governments and democracies worldwide. The documentary's premiere coincides with Rupert Murdoch's 95th birthday, which falls on March 11th, just two days before the film's release on the service.