French sleeper hit "Lupin" surpasses "The Queen's Gambit" views in one month and is set to hit 70 million views worldwide in its first month
Lupin, the French heist series started the year off with a bang—already projected to reach a total of 70 million views in its first month, setting a new global record for a French series on Netflix.
Just like its titular Lupin, the series hides in plain sight, a sleeper-hit not expected by many especially after The Queen's Gambit and Bridgerton set records, which now Lupin is set to topple soon.
The series is inspired by Arsène Lupin the "Gentleman Burglar", a character created by Maurice Leblanc, and follows Assane Diop, a master of disguise (Omar Sy) who sets out to avenge his father, wrongfully accused of theft by a wealthy family he once worked for. With only five episodes released, viewers are left clamouring for more especially anticipating Diop's next con and disguise or how he cleverly evades his pursers.
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Lupin has been praised by viewers and critics alike, citing that it provides a perfect escape to the reality of the pandemic, the charisma of lead actor Omar Sy and taking viewers to an exciting adventure of heist and cons.
Karen Han of Slate states that the "series also doesn't waste a single minute, packing each and every moment full of suspense. Put all of that together, and it's an early front-runner to steal a spot as one of the best shows of the year", while Robert Daniels from RogerEbert.com notes the show's addictiveness is a "clever puzzle that combines elements from Luther, Sherlock Holmes, and Inside Man for an engrossing experience."
Nina Metz from Chicago Tribune praises Sy's performance stating, "it is Sy's Bond-ian elegance and understated charisma that keeps you keyed in," while Daniel D'Addario of Variety gives it an overall compliment of being a "propulsive and cleverly made piece of work about one great heist and its ongoing aftermath."