Shows like Lupin aren’t popular because of their suspenseful plot-driven stories. In addition to its abundant plot twists and turning points, the French crime drama’s compelling lead character—Assane Diop, and intriguing villains are perhaps its most emphatic selling point. The series created by George Kay and François Uzan retells the story of Maurice Leblanc’s Arsène Lupin, a charismatic gentleman thief and master of disguise. Starring Omar Sy as the leading actor, the Netflix thriller premiered in January 2021 to rave reviews, justifying the renewal for more seasons.
Upon its debut, Lupin pulled viewers from over 76 million households across the world within its first month to become the most-watched non-English language show on the platform at the time. Lupin Season 3’s finale teases the return of the gentleman thief. While Netflix has yet to greenlight another season, showrunners are optimistic the streaming giant will order for Season 4. The upcoming season is expected to pick up from Season 3’s ending and deliver another thrilling tale about Assane Diop. Until the chivalrous thief returns, here are shows like Lupin to binge.
Who Is Erin Carter?
The British action thriller stars Kurdish-Swedish actress Evin Ahmad as Erin Carter, a character that brings Lupin’s Assane Diop to mind. Who Is Erin Carter? premiered for its first season of seven episodes in August 2023. The show follows Erin, a British expat teacher in Spain drawn into a series of violent situations that highlight her incredible fighting skills, thereby threatening her new life in Barcelona. The mystery surrounding Erin, her combative ability, and her quest for a good relationship with her family are some elements common to Lupin and Who Is Erin Carter?
Money Heist
The similarities between Lupin and Money Heist are rooted in the criminal mastermind of the lead characters. Like Lupin’s Assane Diop, the Spanish heist crime drama stars Álvaro Morte as Sergio Marquina (The Professor), the leader of a heist group that manipulates the police to carry out perfect robberies. As the Professor and his group of thieves are always a step ahead of the police, it fans the mystery surrounding the Professor, establishing the ground for a thrilling, suspenseful tale released on Netflix from July 2019 to December 2021.
Peaky Blinders
Featuring an ensemble cast led by Irish actor Cillian Murphy, Peaky Blinders’ premise is quite different from Lupin’s. The British period crime drama created by Steven Knight revolves around a gangster family led by an ambitious, crafty crime boss, Tommy Shelby. While Omar Sy’s Assane Diop isn’t anything like Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby on the surface, they are both cunning criminals who never run out of ways to outsmart their adversaries and evade the law.
The Great Heist
Inspired by true events, The Great Heist retells the 1994 robbery of the Bank of the Republic in Valledupar, northern Colombia. The Spanish crime drama thriller created by Pablo Gonzalez and C.S. Prince stars Andrés Parra alongside Christian Tappan, Waldo Urrego, Marcela Benjumea, and Kami Zea. The dramatic interpretation of an incident dubbed the robbery of the century follows a team of thieves as they pull off an ambitious heist, carting away $33 million. The group’s detailed plan for the robbery, the execution, and their escape brings Lupin’s Assane Diop’s thieveries to mind.
Imposters
A dark comedy series created by Adam Brooks and Paul Adelstein, Imposter stars Israeli actress Inbar Lavi as a con artist working for a mysterious Doctor. With her beauty and charming personality, she lures her unwary victims into a marriage and then disappears with their money. While Imposter’s premise is distinct and poles apart from Lupin’s plotline, they have similar themes and elements. From their unexpected twists to the likable protagonists and remarkable portrayals of the leads, it’s easy to see why the Bravo series counts among the best shows like Lupin.
Sneaky Pete
A crime thriller created by Bryan Cranston and David Shore, Sneaky Pete stars Giovanni Ribisi as Marius Josipovic alongside Marin Ireland, Shane McRae, Libe Barer, Peter Gerety, and Margo Martindale. It tells the story of Marius Josipovic, a con artist who assumes the identity of his prison cellmate, Pete, in a desperate need to escape from his past. The skills of the con man and the problems he runs into are relatively similar to the escapades of Lupin’s Assane Diop, albeit the plotlines are worlds apart. The crime drama ran for three seasons from August 2015 to May 2019 and generally received positive reviews.
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