With elaborate heists, convincing disguises and a revenge plot that puts an entire family in danger, Netflix’s Lupin has taken its gentleman thief from the Louvre to a prison cell over three parts.
The French mystery thriller follows Assane Diop (played by Omar Sy), who draws inspiration from the adventures of Arsene Lupin, the fictional thief created by French author Maurice Leblanc. What begins as a mission to clear his father’s name develops into a struggle to protect Assane’s own family from the consequences of his crimes.
Alongside the thefts and escapes, the series is centred on Assane’s relationships with his estranged wife Claire, their teenage son Raoul and his closest friend and accomplice, Benjamin. His schemes repeatedly test their loyalty, even when he believes he is acting in their interests.
Part four finds Assane behind bars, apparently ready to leave his criminal life behind. But a new thief operating as 'Lupin' threatens those plans.
As the series returns for its latest season, here is a refresher on what happened in the first three parts.
What is Lupin about?
As a teenager, Assane’s life changes after his father Babakar, a Senegalese immigrant working for wealthy businessman Hubert Pellegrini, is accused of stealing a valuable diamond necklace.
Babakar dies in prison, leaving his son to grow up with the consequences of an accusation he believes was false. Years later, Assane sets out to uncover what happened and expose those responsible.
Taking inspiration from Leblanc’s stories, he uses disguises, sleight of hand and elaborate deception to outwit his opponents. But his pursuit of Pellegrini also attracts police attention and places Claire and Raoul in danger.
The story so far (spoilers ahead):
What happened in Lupin part one?
The series begins with a robbery at the Louvre, where Assane steals the necklace his father was accused of taking years earlier. The heist is the first step in a wider plan to expose Pellegrini.
As Assane investigates, he uncovers the businessman’s insurance fraud and the involvement of corrupt police commissioner Dumont in framing his father Babakar.
Assane joins forces with investigative journalist Fabienne Beriot, who has been looking into Pellegrini’s dealings. But their efforts to bring him down take a deadly turn when his henchman Leonard murders her.
Meanwhile, detective Youssef Guedira begins to recognise a pattern in Assane’s methods. A fellow fan of Leblanc’s books, he realises the thief is drawing on the adventures of Arsene Lupin.
Part one ends during a family trip where Leonard kidnaps Raoul. As Assane discovers his son is missing, Guedira catches up with him.
What happened in Lupin part two?
The search for Raoul brings Assane and Guedira together, with the detective ultimately rescuing the teenager. Although Raoul returns safely to Claire, the kidnapping makes clear how dangerous Assane’s pursuit of Pellegrini has become.
With Benjamin’s help, he uncovers Pellegrini’s diversion of charitable donations into an offshore account. Assane then confronts him and records his confession to framing Babakar and ordering Beriot’s murder.
However, Assane continues his efforts to expose the businessman, reconnecting with Pellegrini’s daughter Juliette and devising a plan centred on the family foundation’s charity concert.
The evidence leads to the arrests of Pellegrini and Dumont, finally exposing the conspiracy against Assane’s father.
But Assane’s identity is now public, leaving him unable to return home without risking arrest. Part two ends with him saying goodbye to Claire and Raoul before disappearing.
What happened in Lupin part three?
After going into hiding, Assane returns to Paris to steal the Black Pearl and carry out an even more ambitious deception: faking his own death.
He hopes his apparent demise will allow Claire and Raoul to escape the attention surrounding him. But the plan unravels when Keller – a dangerous figure from his past – kidnaps his estranged mother, Mariama.
Using her captivity as leverage, Keller forces Assane to carry out further thefts, drawing him back into the life he had been trying to escape.
Assane eventually saves his mother and defeats Keller, but recognises that his freedom comes at a continuing cost to those around him. To give his loved ones a chance at a quieter life, he makes a deal with Guedira and turns himself in.
During the final scenes, Assane receives an envelope from the neighbouring prison cell, revealing that Pellegrini is being held next door.
What to expect in Lupin part four?
Netflix says the new instalment begins four years later, with Assane still serving his sentence. He intends to fulfil his promise to Raoul and join his family in Senegal after his release.
However, a string of simultaneous museum robberies – announced in Lupin’s name – makes him a suspect once again. Footage appears to show him at one of the thefts, during which police captain Belkacem is seriously injured.
With someone apparently impersonating him, Assane must escape from prison to identify the copycat and clear his name.
Lupin Part Four is now streaming on Netflix.