Netflix to release four-part series about Rupert Murdoch's family drama

"The docuseries, based on thousands of pages of documents, emails and text messages, presents an exhaustive history of Rupert Murdoch's rise while homing in on the tensions that have built for decades between him, his chosen heir Lachlan, and Rupert's three other adult children: James Murdoch, Elisabeth Murdoch and Prudence MacLeod."

"Those tensions exploded recently in a Nevada court battle over the trust that will determine control of the Murdoch media empire when Rupert passes away, with the 94-year-old patriarch and his eldest son aligned against the other three. While the siblings had gotten a positive initial ruling from a county commissioner, both sides ended up reaching a multi-billion-dollar settlement last September that will ensure that Lachlan Murdoch will remain in control until at least 2050."

"While no Murdochs participated in the documentary, as has become standard for projects about the secretive family, the series includes interviews with many of the journalists who covered them most closely, including New York Times reporters Jim Rutenberg and Jonathan Mahler, the definitive chroniclers of the trust battle."

Netflix will release Dynasty: The Murdochs on March 13, a four-part docuseries examining Rupert Murdoch's rise and the decades-long tensions between him, his chosen heir Lachlan, and his three other adult children: James, Elisabeth, and Prudence. The series draws from thousands of documents, emails, and text messages. Recent tensions erupted in a Nevada court battle over the trust controlling the Murdoch media empire, with Rupert and Lachlan aligned against the other three siblings. A multi-billion-dollar settlement reached in September ensures Lachlan remains in control until at least 2050. Though no Murdochs participated, the documentary features interviews with prominent journalists including New York Times reporters Jim Rutenberg and Jonathan Mahler, Atlantic writer McKay Coppins, and media personalities like Kara Swisher. The series explores Fox News's creation and power, the News of the World hacking scandal, and includes interviews with former Murdoch publication employees.

Read at www.theguardian.com