netflix lupin 2© Photo: Netflix

Is Lupin on Netflix based on true events?

The French drama starring Omar Sy is a big hit with fans

Senior Features Writer
January 19, 2021

If you're after a new series to watch, then Netflix's latest original show Lupin could be one to add to your list.

The French comedy-drama, starring Jurassic World actor Omar Sy as its lead, has proven to be hugely popular and has topped the streaming platform's charts since it arrived earlier this year.

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The five-part drama tells the story of Assane Diop who seeks to avenge a false accusation placed upon his late father by a wealthy French family, after a diamond necklace went missing. Many are loving the sleek and suave nature of the show, but is the Netflix hit series based on a true story?

WATCH: Official trailer for Netflix original series Lupin

Lupin is based on the tales of Arsène Lupin, a character dubbed a "gentleman thief" and created by novelist Maurice Leblanc in the early twentieth century. The adventures of Arsène were often thought of as the French equivalent to Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.

The gentleman thief is even referenced in the Netflix show, and Arsène becomes an inspiration for how Assane carries himself and carries out his crimes.

Assane, who works as a janitor in the Louvre in Paris, portrays himself as a gentleman and is a master of disguises on his quest to avenge his father's death. The story forming the basis of the show, however, is fiction.

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© Photo: Netflix

Omar Sy stars as lead in Lupin

The series has proved to be extremely well-received by fans and, according to Variety, the streaming platform estimates that Lupin will be seen by 70 million subscribers, giving Bridgerton and The Queen's Gambit a run for their money.

Luckily for fans, the five episodes available on Netflix don't mark the end of the story Assane Diop. Den of Geek reports that the streaming giant will release five more episodes later this year, meaning viewers will see how the story of the gentleman thief plays out.

Many have been voicing their praise about the new Netflix programme on social media. One person tweeted: "I binged #Lupin yesterday on Netflix. And wow, J’etais accro. What an absolute treasure @omarsy is, he was fantastic. The whole show was just riveting and well done. I cannot wait for Part 2." 

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