Lupin: 5 Good Reasons To Watch The Netflix Series.
The Lupin series, launched in January 2021 on Netflix, is back for an exciting season 3. This modern reinterpretation of the adventures of Arsène Lupin was the first successful French series on Netflix and has millions of fans on the streaming platform. If you haven't yet discovered Omar Sy as a modern-day gentleman thief, here are 5 good reasons to watch this groundbreaking series.
1- For the modernized story
"Lupin", the French television series created by George Kay and François Uzan for Netflix, is loosely inspired by the adventures of Arsène Lupin. In this version, the gentleman thief is Assane Diop, an orphan raised by his father Babacar, who works as a chauffeur for the Pellegrini family.
In 1995, young Assane's life is turned upside down when his father dies after being falsely accused of a crime. Fifteen years later, Assane draws inspiration from the book by Maurice Leblanc that his father gave him, and from his hero, Arsène Lupin the Gentleman Thief, to seek revenge...
Set in present-day France, the story does not feature Arsène Lupin himself as the protagonist, but rather "one of his fans who takes inspiration from the literary character" to uncover the truth about his father's death.
2- For the casting
This contemporary, entertaining, and light-hearted adaptation of the adventures of Arsène Lupin benefits from a tailor-made cast, starting with Omar Sy in the lead role. With his charismatic energy, the actor puts his communicative energy at the service of this modern-day gentleman.
By his side, we find Ivorian actor Fargass Assandé (in the role of his father Babacar), Hervé Pierre from the Comédie française (as the disdainful Mr. Pellegrini), Nicole Garcia (as Mrs. Pellegrini), and Clotilde Hesme (as their daughter, Juliette Pellegrini).
Vincent Londez (seen in the series Into the Night) plays the police captain in charge of the investigation, while Shirine Boutella and Soufiane Guerrab portray his teammates. Ludivine Sagnier, who returns to the small screen after The Young Pope and The New Pope, plays Claire, Assane's ex-wife and friend.
3- For the caption
After Robert Lamoureux, Georges Descrières, Jean-Claude Brialy, and Romain Duris, it is now Omar Sy's turn to embody the legendary Arsène Lupin.
Navigating between Etretat and contemporary Paris, the actor brings his modernity to the character created in 1905 by the novelist Maurice Leblanc. The gentleman thief first appeared over a century ago in the pages of the French monthly magazine "Je sais tout".
Since then, this legendary thief has inspired numerous plays and many films, both on television and in cinema. Paradoxically, it is the British screenwriter George Kay (Criminal, Killing Eve) who resurrects this distinctly French myth almost intact in the series Lupin on Netflix.
4- For references to the original
Even if the series "Lupin" seriously dusts off the character imagined by Maurice Leblanc, die-hard readers of Arsène Lupin will have the joy of rediscovering some of the exploits of the gentleman thief carefully transposed to the screen.
Of course, Assane's adventures take place in our time, in the era of social networks rather than the Belle Epoque. And yet, entire fragments of Maurice Leblanc's work are taken up there. The Queen's necklace is put up for auction in the space located under the Louvre Pyramid, while the famous hollow needle in Etretat becomes the meeting point for a crowd of Arsène Lupin fans!
Even if times have changed, some places like the Needle are immutable and the series sometimes highlights the Normandy town of Etretat, where the Association of Friends of Arsène Lupin is based!
5- For the hero, modern-day vigilante
If the series "Lupin" is primarily entertainment, it takes advantage of the change in time to address current themes such as racism.
Faced with the impunity of the strongest, this 2021 Arsène Lupin sometimes takes on the appearance of a Robin Hood eager for social justice. Hiding his identity behind multiple costumes, Assane uses "invisible" jobs like delivery person or maintenance agent to get close to the highest echelons of society.
He thus embodies a vigilante in tune with his era, while paying homage to the work of Maurice Leblanc. Enough to make millions of fans around the world want to follow the adventures of this hero!
Good to know.
From the beginning of this adventure, screenwriter George Kay has not hidden his desire to "continue the series" by "making many more parts". "I love the idea of seeing the character of young Assane grow along with the actor. That would be great. I hope we make more episodes," he explained.
In the third wave of episodes, available since October 5, 2023 on Netflix, George Kay reconnects with the fundamentals of the Lupin series: humor, suspense, and high-flying direction. Far from the dark atmosphere of season 2, this season 3 takes the viewer on a sublime journey through Paris and delivers a breathtaking ending for each episode. Get ready to be amazed!
