Omar Sy on taking creative control of Netflix's 'Lupin' and why 'Black Dumas' is causing political debate in France

Netflix's epic heist series Lupin is back bigger and bolder after three years, with French star Omar Sy playing French nobleman Asan Diop attached to it. Sai, who worked as an art producer in the previous episodes, first appeared as one of the hosts of the show alongside Louis Leterrier for the fourth episode of the series, [...]

Netflix's hit heist series Lupine is back bigger and bolder after three years, and it's joined by its French star Omar Sy, who plays noble French thief Asan Diop.

Sy, who served as an art producer on previous episodes, will debut as co-showrunner alongside Louis Leterrier for the series' fourth season, in addition to producing through their joint banner Carrousel Studios. RELATED STORIES Michaela Jae Rodriguez Receives APLA Health Voice of Vision Award at AIDS Walk Los Angeles (EXCLUSIVE) 'Animals' Star Luis Gerardo Mendes on Working with Ben Affleck and Talking About Immigration: 'You Could Be Next'

In an interview with Variety ahead of the October 23 broadcast, Sy revealed that he made more creative control a condition of his return to the series. Popular in Variety

During an interview with Zoom, sitting in front of a backdrop of "Lupturing anifette feated anifette," Sy said, "There were a lot of moments in past seasons where I felt frustrated because things that I wanted weren't necessarily coming across the screen. So my condition for going forward was to have a little more say in the decisions. They gave me this role and it allowed me to change things." tower

The new season picks up four years after the events of the third episode, with Asani behind bars before finding himself the target of a mysterious copycat who carries out a series of elaborate heists in his name.

With a larger budget than Netflix, Sy and Leterrier leant more towards the superhero features of the show, expanding its universe beyond Maurice LeBlanc's novels and weaving in some futuristic elements.

"We're going a little further than Maurice LeBlanc...we've brought it more into our own world," Sy said. "That's why we're going more into the prison environment, introducing new technology and all these different elements. We're embracing modernity, whether it's through the prison itself or through all the technology that the copycat uses to trap Essaan."

The challenge, Sy says, was to keep what made "Lupin" a global hit while making the new season fresh enough to attract viewers who have never seen the show. The new role also allowed Sy to bring in up-and-coming French actor Theo Christian and explore the more emotional side of Assane's story.

Sy, who is currently filming Bradley Cooper's prequel On the Ocean alongside Margot Robbie, has worked in Hollywood and European cinema, often working as a producer on projects that explore social and political issues. He starred in and produced Mathieu Wadepid's Father and Soldier, which shed light on the largely overlooked history of Senegalese soldiers who fought for France during World War I.

His upcoming French projects include Le Loge's "Dumas: Diable Noir," which reunites him with Christian and tells the story of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, a former slave who became France's first black general and whose son would go on to become one of the country's most famous writers.

Set for release in October 2027, "Black Duma" comes just months after France's presidential election, one of the country's most divisive in decades, with the far-right leading in polls and political tensions rising.

"One thing I'm sure of is that the Duma will generate a lot of discussion and debate," said Sy, who has lived in Los Angeles for years but still votes in France. "We need conversations right now. I just hope they can be calm and thoughtful instead of heated."

While he scored his first lead role in the French comedy The Guardians, it was Asan Diop's effortless role in Lupin that made C an international star in 2021. Like Emily in Paris, Le Pen has contributed to the tourism boom in the French capital and has been very successful internationally, although on Netflix it has been even more successful in France. You are one of the hosts of the program this season. What made you want to be more creative and how did that change the way you worked on the show?

The truth is that I was involved in this issue from the beginning. My involvement has not changed. I have always been a part of all conversations, from beginning to end. The difference is that before I was allowed to participate and make suggestions, but I couldn't make decisions or necessarily see those ideas. There were a few moments in the previous seasons where I felt disappointed because things I wanted weren't necessarily on screen. So my condition for continuing was to have a little more say in the decisions. They gave me that role and it allowed me to change things. For example, bringing in Theo Christian was something we wanted to do and we went after him. There are such decisions that may seem quite radical but could take the show somewhere different. This is what this new role has allowed me to do. But in terms of my involvement, it's been that way from the beginning. Only now I have a little more decision-making power.

I found the father-son relationship with Theo Christian in the first episode incredibly moving. You also worked with this young actor in Ladj Ly's "Dumas: Diable Noir", didn't you?

What's funny is what actually happened after that. We approached Theo for "Lupin" and he said yes. Then, while we were making the series, he played a role in "Duma".

The first part seems more dramatic than the previous seasons, especially with the father-son relationship. Was this something you specifically wanted to explore?

What's great about this series is that you have a little bit of everything. There's drama, but there's also comedy, lighter moments, flamboyant characters and all the action that comes with it. It's really a place where you can put a lot of different things. That's why I always say "Lupine" is my favorite toy. You can spin it in any direction, you can do all kinds of things in one world and with one character.

Were you also interested in exploring the prison environment this season?

Yes, because ultimately we are dealing with a thief, and prison is part of that world. That's something we haven't really explored before. In the first season, there's a short sequence where he's in prison, and we get a glimpse of that world through his father, but we're never really delved into it. This time we wanted to explore it more and also shot it a little differently.

The prison has an almost futuristic sci-fi quality. It looks quite stylish.

We brought it more into our world. That's really what this season does. We fully embrace the world we have created. That's why we're going more into the prison environment and introducing new technologies and all these different elements. We're going a bit further away from Maurice LeBlanc and bringing more ideas into it. We embrace modernity, whether it's through the prison itself or through all the technology the copycat uses to ensnare Easan.

The production looks bigger and more ambitious. Did you have significantly more budget this time?

We definitely had more resources. And we have to admit it, because Netflix would be very upset if we said otherwise! They gave us the tools to make this season, and it was important for us to be able to see and feel that on screen.

There's almost a superhero quality to this season, especially with the idea of Lupine vs. Lupine. It's a bit like a Marvel movie.

Yes, but actually, when I say we're moving away from Maurice LeBlanc, that's one area we're not. He did this several times. He brought in Sherlock Holmes and at one point Lupine even faced another Lupine. Maurice LeBlanc had already done this. I think it's Marvel who copied Maurice LeBlanc! But seriously, from the very beginning when we decided to bring Lupine back and make this series, this is how we envisioned the character. Louis [Leterrier] decided to film him using those codes. That's why his coat looks like a cloak. We really envisioned this character as a superhero. It's also why you see those pictures of him on the rooftops of Paris, silhouetted against the skyline, almost like a shadow. This superhero dimension has always been a part of our vision of the character and we fully embrace it.

I've only seen the first episode, but I'm already suspecting that Essan's best friend might have something to do with what's going on. Is betrayal one of the central themes of this season?

With Lupine, there is always betrayal somewhere. It's a battle of wits, a game of wits, and we need those twists. Often times, cheating is part of it. One of the things I love about this series is that we created something in the first season that still works today: speculation. Everyone is trying to figure out who is behind everything. Like a game of sticklodo, he tries to guess who the killer is. I love it. This is one of my favorite aspects of the series. The whole whodunit element is something we're working on deliberately. That's part of the fun of Lupine, both for us and for the audience.

I feel like a lot of movies and series have tried to copy Lupine in recent years.

I am not the one to say this! You said not me!

Has the success of "Lupin" made you want to participate in making other films and series more than acting and producing?

Yes, definitely. That's exactly what we're working on with Thomas [Bensky], Louis [Leterrier] and Carousel Studios. We are developing projects that we hope to be able to announce soon. Carrousel really came out of everything we experienced together on "Lupin." Louis and I discovered each other artistically through this series. At some point, we reached another level of our cooperation and realized that together we are able to create these types of projects. Carrousel is really about taking this collaboration forward and doing it on a much bigger scale. We are working on things and hopefully soon we will be able to present an idea that is currently still cooking.

The great thing about this new season of "Lupin" is that someone who has never seen the series can start watching with episode 4 and still get into it. Was it important to you to make it available to a new audience?

Thank you, because this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. I mean, also, why did we take the time? Obviously, we're continuing a series that a lot of people have watched, so there are things we have to preserve. But at the same time, we had to bring something new. Finding that balance was really the challenge, and it's something we worked hard on. So it's very satisfying to hear that from you, because that's exactly what we wanted to do.

You've had a busy year, you starred in "Dumas: Diable Noir" and you're also filming the new movie "Ocean's". Have you finished shooting it?

Can you tell me something about your personality?

I can not! You know how these things work. You can't really talk about anything until someone tells you exactly what you can say. And since we're still shooting, I'll keep quiet. You know what you know and I can't tell you more. But I can tell you that we are still working on it. We shot over the summer and are wrapping it up now. It's great

How is Bradley Cooper as a director?

Bradley is an incredibly inspiring person. He is very involved, very passionate. He is completely immersed in what he is doing. He really enjoys his work and throws himself into it. And because he's also an actor, he has a way of communicating what he wants that makes it very easy for the other actor to understand and deliver. I had previously worked with him as an actor in Sokhte. Even then, he was someone who shared a lot with those around him. Now that he's behind the camera too, it's a real treat. This review of his work is incredibly inspiring. And since I'm also interested in exploring what goes on behind the camera, especially as a producer, it's very inspiring to see the way he invests himself in every aspect of a project.

You have been working in Hollywood for several years now. Are there still things you're particularly looking forward to doing in the US that you haven't had a chance to do yet?