Note: This article may contain some spoilers.
French thriller Lupin, based on the classical, fictional character of "gentleman thief" Arsène Lupin, took everyone by surprise when it debuted on Netflix in January 2021.
The series has been streamed by 76 million households to become the first non-English show to enter the ranks of Netflix US’ top 10 and an instant worldwide phenomenon. The series has been dubbed in 15 languages and subtitled in 30 languages, including Bahasa Indonesia.
No one saw this coming, not even the cast and crew, though it was expected that the series would be a hit in France where Lupin is a cultural icon, much like Sherlock Holmes is to Britain. But Lupin is an antihero.
Leading actor and executive producer Omar Sy said that he and the production team wanted to create something essentially French and really cool. “[The] French James Bond? It’s Lupin!” he said.
Actress Ludivine Sagnier who plays Claire, the wife of protagonist Assane “Lupin” Diop, said the show had exceeded expectations.
“I couldn’t believe the numbers,” said Sagnier. “I thought it was going to be just for Netflix France since Omar is a very popular actor and beloved [in France],” she said.
The show clearly resonates with contemporary French viewership. Shortly after its Netflix debut, Maurice Leblanc’s 1907 novel Arsène Lupin Gentleman-Cambrioleur (English title Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar), surged into the top 5 bestseller list on Amazon and French retail chain Fnac, according to CBR.com.
“It was quite an event for libraries in France, because all the Lupin stories were out of stock soon after the show came out,” added Sagnier.
Slick duds: Omar Sy (left) portrays the titular character of Neflix's 'Lupin', Assane “Lupin” Diop. He also executive produces the not-so-faithful adaptation of the classic French novel by Maurice Leblanc, set in the gritty reality of modern-day Paris. (Netflix/Photos courtesy of Netflix)
British cocreator and cowriter George Kay says, however, that Lupin is not a strict adaption of the novel.
“When I was approached about this show, there was a desire to do something contemporary. It’s a story of a modern man,” said Kay.
Read also: Netflix, 'Lupin' and EU rules spark a TV revolution
So instead of the top hat, monocle and cape that the original character dons in print form, Assane “Lupin” Diop is a modern-day professional thief who rocks a notched lapel trench coat, beret and Air Jordans as he heads to Paris on a personal mission: avenge his late father Babakar Diop (Fargass Assandé), a Senegalese immigrant who was framed by his wealthy Parisian boss, Hubert Pellegrini (Hervé Pierre), for the theft of a diamond necklace that once belonged to Marie Antoinette.
Assane is also black, not white as the original Arsène Lupin was written, reflecting the immigrant and racist issues of 21st century France. The reimagined Lupin is also played by award-winning actor Sy, the son of immigrant parents from West Africa (and yes, his father is Senegalese, according to his IMDb bio).
Using his dazzling charm and his skills in the art of deception, Assane fights a system that favors the rich and perpetuates classism and racism, even if he does so by breaking the law. He’s like Robin Hood, in the sense that Assane only seems to steal from people that deserve it.
But beyond sociopolitical criticism, Lupin is simply fun and slick and never forgets to entertain.
“While it’s important to return to those themes, covering the people who work below the stairs and above the stairs in all walks of life, it’s never the primary thing,” Kay said.
Surprise success: Streamed by 76 million households and the first non-English show among Netflix US' top 10, French thriller 'Lupin' has been dubbed in 15 languages and subtitled in 30 languages, including Bahasa Indonesia. (Netflix/Photos courtesy of Netflix)
“No one wants a political piece of TV for 10 hours, you want to have those messages floated around but essentially have fun and tell a cool story about the characters.”
With the June 11 release of Lupin: Part 2, Assane’s story gets more intense as his quest to take down the powerful Hubert starts to threaten the safety of his own family. This makes it all the more difficult for him to avenge his father while still being a good dad to his 14-year-old son Raoul (Etan Simon).
And unlike Lupin: Part 1, when nobody recognized Assane so he was free to disguise himself as the city’s invisible janitors and cooks, the police have figured out his identity and are actively hunting him down, which gives him less room to maneuver. From an adrenaline-pumping underground escape to a high-speed heist at the Musée d’Orsay, Lupin: Part 2 offers a lot more action and less comedy to resemble a crime drama, perhaps a necessary move to drive the plot forward.
The final episode of Part 2, or Chapter 10, wraps up the Pellegrini conflict with an epic confrontation at the Théâtre du Châtelet (the site of the first Arsène Lupin stage adaptation, in 1911). Assane is classic Lupin here with a little throwback to Chapter 1, when he enters and leaves a building as a completely different persona.
Sy’s star power and the fantastic Lupin cast aside, a big factor that contributes to the show’s appeal is how very French it is. It depicts a realistic, gritty portrayal of present-day Paris, as opposed to just touring the Eiffel Tower or something.
Read also: Netflix's 'Lupin' marks rise of international TV content
“There are some parts of Paris that we’re not used to seeing, for example the bridge where Claire announces to Assane that she’s pregnant,” said Sagnier. “Many locations show contemporary Paris [as] a real city, not a postcard. I think that’s part of the attraction for foreign audiences,” she mused.
Kay agrees, and feels that the show’s success derives from its authenticity.
“Part of the success of Lupin is not because it’s got an international setting. The characters are not from all around the world,” he said. “It’s set in France and it’s all about France.”
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