The succession case for the future of Rupert Murdoch's media empire is underway, but was the story written decades before it began?

A unique court case has begun in Nevada this week. At stake is the future of the Murdoch empire and the decision about his succession plan.

A "momentous" court battle to determine the future of Rupert Murdoch's media empire and his £14.9 billion family trust begins in Nevada today. The fate of "a string of newspapers and television channels consumed by millions of people around the world" is at stake, as well as "thousands of jobs" and "billions of pounds", said Sky News.

Behind the closed doors of a courthouse in Reno, Nevada, today, a family battle like no other will commence. At stake is one of the world’s most influential media businesses, a $34 billion (£26 billion) empire with the power to influence elections around the world.

They say life imitates art. Or is it the other way around?If you were a fan of the hit HBO series Succession you would be well aware of the fact that the very rich and powerful family at the centre of the fictional story is loosely based on a few real-life media empires.

A trial straight of Succession began in Reno, Nevada yesterday. Rupert Murdoch, the 93-year-old head of a global media empire including Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, wants to change the rules for an irrevocable family trust that holds his assets.