Omar Sy Takes Co-Showrunner reins on 'Lupin' Part 4, Launching Oct. 23

Omar Sy makes his debut as co-showrunner of Netflix's "Lupin" on October 23, three years after Part 3 debuted. The French star, who plays gentleman thief Assane Diop, shares the role with director Louis Leterrier and co-produces through their joint banner Carrousel Studios.

Sy told Variety that greater creative control was a condition of his return.

"There were quite a few moments in previous seasons when I felt frustrated because things I wanted didn't necessarily end up on screen," Sy said in the interview, conducted by video against a red "Lupin" backdrop featuring an animated silhouette of Diop and the Eiffel Tower. "So my condition for continuing was that I would have a little more say in the decisions. They gave me that role, and it allowed me to change things."

The takeaway: Sy's involvement has not changed since the start — only his decision-making power has.

What changes in Part 4?

The new season picks up four years after the events of Part 3. Assane starts behind bars. A mysterious copycat then pulls off a string of elaborate heists in his name.

Sy says the duo leaned further into the show's superhero-like qualities, with a bigger budget from Netflix.

• An expanded prison setting, explored in depth for the first time
• New technologies used by the copycat to trap Assane
• Futuristic, stylized elements extending beyond Maurice Leblanc's novels
• Rising French actor Théo Christine joining the cast
• A more emotional side of Assane's story, including a father-son relationship

"We're moving a little further away from Maurice Leblanc… We brought it more into our own universe," said Sy. "We're embracing modernity, whether it's through the prison itself or all the technology that the copycat uses to trap Assane."

On the Marvel-style Lupin-versus-Lupin premise, Sy pointed back to the source: Leblanc brought in Sherlock Holmes and once pitted Lupin against another Lupin. "I think it's Marvel that copied Maurice Leblanc!" he said.

Sy confirmed Netflix provided more resources: "They gave us the means to make this season, and it was important to us that you could see and feel that on screen."

The challenge, Sy said, was balance — preserving what made "Lupin" a global hit while making Part 4 accessible to viewers who have never watched the series. He says newcomers can start with Part 4.

Why does 'Black Dumas' matter for 2027?

Sy's upcoming slate includes Ladj Ly's "Dumas: Diable Noir" ("Black Dumas"), reuniting him with Christine. The film tells the story of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, the formerly enslaved man who became France's first Black general and father of one of the country's most celebrated writers.

The film is slated for release in October 2027, months after France's presidential election — an election shaping up to be one of the country's most divisive in decades, with the far right leading polls.

"One thing I'm sure of is that 'Dumas' is going to generate a lot of debate and discussion," said Sy, who lives in Los Angeles but still votes in France. "We need conversations right now. I just hope they can be calm, thoughtful conversations rather than heated ones."

The takeaway: Sy sees cinema as a conversation-starter, not just entertainment.

What comes next for Sy and Carrousel?

Sy is currently shooting Bradley Cooper's Ocean prequel alongside Margot Robbie. Filming continues; he declined to share character details. He previously worked with Cooper on "Burnt" and praised the director's approach: "Because he's also an actor, he has a way of communicating what he wants that makes it very easy for another actor to understand and deliver."

Carrousel Studios, Sy said, grew directly out of his collaboration with Leterrier and Thomas Benski on "Lupin." New projects are in development. "We're working on things, and I hope we'll soon be able to come out with an idea that is still cooking at the moment," he said.

Sy broke through with his first leading role in the French comedy "Intouchables," but it was Assane Diop that made him an international star in 2021. Like "Emily in Paris," "Lupin" has boosted tourism in Paris — and it achieved its global success in French.

Sy's path from actor to decision-maker now has its structural backing in Carrousel, whose stated priority is speed and adaptability — the same qualities he fought for on "Lupin" Part 4.