When we last saw Assane Diop, he was behind bars, having promised his son he'd hang up the Lupin persona for good. But Part 4 of Netflix's hit French thriller throws a major wrench into those plans: a copycat thief is pulling off heists in Assane's signature style, and the only way to clear his name is to break out of prison and become Lupin once more.
In a recent interview, Omar Sy—who also steps into the showrunner role this season—opened up about the creative challenge of keeping the series fresh after its massive success. "When you have a show, having the success that we've had, why would we go again?" Sy said. "We had a character that no one knew so that he could play. Now, he's famous. Some people know exactly the way he's going to act. So, how can you play that game now, when you have someone who knows exactly what he's supposed to do and acts like he can act?"
The copycat, Sy explains, is the perfect foil because he throws Assane off balance. "That's why we did this," he said. "We want him to be challenged all the time." This new adversary knows Assane's playbook, forcing the master thief to improvise in ways we've never seen before.
Sy also reflected on what makes Assane such a compelling character. "He's superpowered," Sy said. "Like all superheroes, every superpower comes from a weakness, and his weakness is that he's always been underestimated or even not seen." That underdog origin story has resonated with audiences worldwide, propelling Lupin to become the most-watched non-English language series on Netflix and the first French show to crack the U.S. Top 10.
The actor, who clearly relishes playing a character who plays other characters, described the appeal as "having a mirror, and you put another mirror in front of it. It's like infinity." That endless reflection allows the show to blend genres—drama, action, comedy—all within a single episode. "Our job is just to find the right balance of all of that," Sy said.
But at its heart, Lupin is a story about family. "The foundation of the show is family," Sy emphasized. Assane's love for his son and his quest to protect them drive every heist, and this season is no different. The promise he made to his son—to leave Lupin behind—is what makes the copycat's appearance so devastating.
As for the future, Sy hinted that a Season 5 is possible, though he's careful not to overpromise. "We want to bring more novelties, but at the same time, you want to make sure that the fans are going to have what they're looking for," he said. Given the show's track record, fans are already eager to see what Assane pulls off next.
For those who haven't caught up, our review of Part 4 praises Sy's return and the show's reinvention. And if you're in the mood for more high-stakes thrillers, check out our list of tight thriller series that nail it in eight episodes or less.
