With Nearly 100 Million Views, This Crime Drama Quietly Redefined What Counts as a Netflix Hit
When Lupin was initially released on Netflix in 2021, few would have anticipated a French-language crime romp to compete with Hollywood’s most successful projects. Now, with three seasons under its belt and approaching 100 million views, the series, starring Omar Sy as Assane Diop, is a cultural sensation, reintroducing the myth of the gentleman thief to an international audience and preparing for what can only be considered a highly anticipated fourth season.
What Is ‘Lupin’ About?
Omar Sy as Assane Diop, looking out over the city in LupinImage via Netflix
Taking inspiration from Leblanc’s early-1900s character Arsène Lupin, the series reimagines the character as Assane Diop, the son of a Senegalese immigrant, who is wrongly accused of stealing a priceless necklace from his wealthy employer. After his father dies in prison, Assane dedicates his life to the pursuit of exposing corruption from within, with little more than resourcefulness, charisma, and an old edition of Lupin’s exploits.
Sy, capably grounded in exuding magnetic screen presence, lends Diop the extra dimension of being more than just a thief; he is a sort of modern-day folk hero going against the moral relativism of justice and revenge. Creator George Kay and his creative-writing team manage to compact the series with some of the nifty pacing of Ocean’s Eleven and ground each con with the very real stakes of a family drama.
What sets Lupin apart is not just its clever plot twists—it’s the social commentary that’s hiding in plain sight. The series raises important questions about class, privilege, and race. Assane’s ability to “disappear” in Paris, often in conjunction with the expectation of those around him, is as much a survival technique as it is a critique of social blindness. It runs much deeper than simply the haves and the have-nots.
The show exposes the upper-class Pellegrini clan, whose lies cost Assane’s father his life, resulting in the only consequence: the wife and brother exit just before the final whistle. At the same time, Assane is most assuredly stealing for the sake of theft, unlike his exploits against the wealthy. He is making a poetic theft against one con at a time.
What Fans Love About ‘Lupin’
Despite its cultural significance, Lupin is still a ton of fun. Every episode concludes with a satisfying twist that re-contextualizes everything we’ve seen so far, inviting viewers into the pleasure of watching a caper unfold. To increase its potential international “binge-ability,” Netflix supported the choice to auto-play the English dub, and while Sy’s performance can’t be perfectly replicated, its appeal is universal.
Results speak for themselves: Lupin became Netflix’s first French-language show to break into the top 10 for U.S. audiences and was one of its most-watched shows overall. Critics called it the “perfect binge,” and audiences found the show’s combination of slick mystery, humor, and high-stakes humanity alluring.
When Will Season 4 ‘Lupin’ Premiere?
Netflix’s Lupin Part 2 ImageImage via Netflix
Season three ended on a knife-edge, with Assane sacrificing his freedom for his family. However, the following chapter guarantees even greater stakes. Season four, completed in Paris over the summer, is scheduled for a 2026 release and is reportedly Lupin‘s most audacious effort to date.
In a behind-the-scenes video marking the end of filming, Sy shouted at his on-screen dog, J’Accuse, while the pooch raced through the Paris set with a camera strapped to his back, only to jump into the arms of his owner. That amusing video was merely a closure to months of high-profile shoots in and around the city, including a scene in which Sy galloped on horseback through the streets of Paris.
This new season will have eight 45-minute episodes, which include alumni cast Ludivine Sagnier, Antoine Gouy, Soufiane Guerrab, Shirine Boutella, Théo Christine, and Laïka Blanc-Francard. Sy and Louis Leterrier serve as showrunners, with Edouard Salier, Everardo Gout, and Hugo Gélin directing, and writing from Mathilde Arnaud, Jean-Yves Arnaud, Florent Meyer, Tigran Rosine, and Penny Ba.
Regardless of when Lupin returns, spring or summer 2026, the hype is already through the roof. The show has already demonstrated that audiences from all over the world will follow a great story, regardless of language or borders—so long as it’s done well.
More than just a heist drama, Lupin has become a message: that justice can be charming and rebellion can be clever and sometimes the smoothest thief can steal our attention and never return it.
Lupin
Release Date
January 8, 2021
Showrunner
George Kay
