'Lupin': The hit Netflix series that begins with an art heist at the Louvre

Garnering positive reviews, the show also holds top place in the UAE

Omar Sy in the French series 'Lupin' that's now on Netflix. Emmanuel Guimier / Netflix

A French show that has already garnered rave reviews, is currently the number one series in the United Arab Emirates.

As Assane Diop sweeps the halls of the Louvre in Paris, he eyes the Queen’s Necklace, a prized piece once owned by Marie Antoinette. A few scenes later, he and his cohorts are drawing up a plan to steal it.

Lupin, a new Netflix series about a thief who pulls off an art heist at a major French museum, made its debut on the platform on Friday, January 8.

French actor Omar Sy – known for his role in The Intouchables – stars as the sharp and charismatic Diop, whose father, a Senegalese immigrant, was wrongfully accused of a crime and consequently committed suicide in prison.

Following a typical heist story, Lupin packs in fast-paced action and thrills mostly set in Paris, replete with slick sleights-of-hand, but it also unfolds as a revenge tale for Diop as he seeks to learn more about the false accusations his father faced.

The main character has been modelled after Arsene Lupin, a fictional “gentleman thief” created by French writer Maurice Leblanc in 1905. The author wrote 17 novels and more than 30 novellas featuring the character. In the show, a young Diop reads the books and is inspired by the master thief.

Apart from the action, the Netflix series also considers themes of classism and racism in Europe, with a focus on the lingering legacy of colonialism in French society, as seen through the lens of immigrants from former colonies.

Created and written by George Kay and Francois Uzan, Lupin is directed by Marcela Said, Ludovic Bernard and Louis Leterrier. It stars French actresses Ludivine Sagnier and Clotilde Hesme.

Streaming in 190 countries, the series is available in eight languages, through subtitles or dubbing in English.

The first season of Lupin is currently being released in two parts, with the first five episodes available on the streaming platform. No announcement has yet been made on when the second part will be released.