Dynasty: The Murdochs Drops on Netflix as Rupert Turns 95 — The Secret Plan That Cost Three Children Everything
Two days after his 95th birthday, Rupert Murdoch became the subject of Netflix's most anticipated docuseries of the year. Dynasty: The Murdochs premiered March 13 — and the central revelation buried inside its four episodes is not about phone hacking or Fox News. It's about a secret internal strategy called Project Family Harmony that backfired catastrophically and ended with three of his children cut out of the empire entirely.
The Secret Plan That Triggered the Legal War
The core revelation of the docuseries is a secret strategy — named Project Family Harmony — that sought to alter a family trust and shift voting control toward one son, a move designed to lock the business into a particular political direction and block a more liberal heir.
That maneuver triggered a legal fight that culminated in a multi-billion-dollar settlement for siblings who argued they were denied equal control. The Nevada probate commissioner had already ruled in December 2024 that Murdoch could not unilaterally amend the trust. The Murdoch family reached an agreement to settle the trust litigation on September 8, 2025.
The outcome was absolute. Prudence, Elisabeth, and James ceased to be beneficiaries of the trusts holding shares in News Corp. and Fox Corp. following the settlement. Shares are now held through LGC Holdco, owned by Lachlan, Grace, and Chloe Murdoch.
What the Docuseries Actually Shows
Director Liz Garbus drew from private documents, emails, and texts to construct a forensic account of the empire and the internal drama surrounding who would ultimately control it. None of the family members agreed to sit for interviews.
Reporters providing insight include New York Times journalists Jim Rutenberg and Jonathan Mahler, alongside former Fox News associates. One interviewee described Rupert as someone who "wasn't raising children, he was raising possible successors." Another compared the battle to "a family squabble on steroids that has a huge effect on our politics and our lives."
Lachlan vs. James — How the Competition Developed
Lachlan began working inside the family companies but eventually stepped away and returned to Australia to pursue his own media ventures. During that period, James continued building his career within the organization, taking on senior leadership roles. When Lachlan later returned, Rupert placed him above his younger brother — despite James having spent years managing major divisions of the company.
James's path to succession was further damaged by the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World. A parliamentary committee later declared him "not a fit person" to run a major international corporation — a conclusion that dramatically damaged his prospects of succeeding his father. News of the World was shut down after 168 years in operation, and the Murdoch companies paid more than a billion pounds in settlements and legal costs.
How Succession Accidentally Accelerated the Real Thing
The family drama may have inspired Succession, but it was the HBO series that sparked the Murdoch heirs into figuring out how they'd actually handle their father's succession before he died. Art imitating life imitating art — and then real lawyers, real documents, and real money.
The docuseries also traces how early Fox programming shaped Murdoch's political strategy — and how Reagan-era policy changes enabled his U.S. expansion and conservative network strategy. The Simpsons, 21 Jump Street, and Married With Children were not just ratings plays. They were infrastructure.
95 Years Old, Five Wives, One Heir
Murdoch has married five times — Patricia Booker, Anna Torv, Wendi Deng, Jerry Hall, and most recently Elena Zhukova in 2024. He has six children across three of those marriages.
The four-part docuseries is streaming now on Netflix, with all episodes available simultaneously.
