Heist Movies to Watch While We Wait for the Louvre Robbery Documentary

October 24, 2025 • Read in 6 minutes

“According to those on the internet, it’s actually incredibly chic to pull off a museum heist,” claims Annabel Iwegbue from Cosmopolitan. And she may just be on to something.

Last week, some thieves broke into the Louvre and escaped with jewelry worth over $100 million. And the memes are going crazy.

If you’re on the South Asian side of the internet, however, the memes might be looking… just a little different.

A sophisticated art heist, executed in just seven minutes, that ends with the thieves escaping on motorbikes? That may remind some movie connoisseurs of the Bollywood blockbuster Dhoom 2, now dubbed Dhoom 2: The French Connection by Indian netizens.

Heist themed memes, playlists, and movies have been curated and circulated all over the internet. And we figured: why not join the game? So, if you’re spending your weekend in, here’s some heist movies for you to binge on.

Topkapi (1964)

Jewel thief Elizabeth Lipp visits Istanbul, where she sees a traveling fair featuring replicas of treasures from the Topkapi Palace. She then cases the Topkapi, fascinated by the emerald-encrusted dagger of Sultan Mahmud I. Leaving Turkey for Paris, she recruits a former lover, Swiss criminal mastermind Walter Harper, to plan a theft of the dagger.

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Gangster George Thomason and his right-hand man, Ken Pile, an animal lover with a stutter, plan a jewel heist. They bring in two Americans: the con artist Wanda Gershwitz and the weapons expert Otto West, a mean-spirited Anglophobe. Wanda and Otto are lovers, but they hide this from George and Ken, so Wanda can work her charms on them.

Killing Zoe (1994)

Zed is an American vault-cracker who travels to Paris to meet up with his old friend Eric. Eric and his gang have planned to raid the only bank in the city which is open on Bastille Day. After offering his services, Zed soon finds himself trapped in a situation beyond his control when heroin abuse, poor planning and a call-girl named Zoe all conspire to turn the robbery into a very bloody siege.

So, what do you think of the Louvre heist? 

Eight pieces of 19th-century imperial jewelry were stolen, including the tiara of Empress Eugénie and an emerald necklace and earrings from the set of Empress Marie-Louise. But more than their prestige and dollar value, the pieces represent a history of colonialism and exploitation. Many of the pearls and diamonds were harvested by enslaved people in parts of India and Africa, which might explain why netizens are simply…amused by the robbery, instead of being enraged. At a time when people are experiencing great political strife and a stagnant economy, making jokes about jewels might just be keeping the public sane. 

We’re here to listen to your opinions!

Warmly,

Team Hyphenly

Like our podcasts? Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple.

Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.

Visit us at www.immigrantlypod.com.

Daily News for Curious Minds

Be the smartest person in the room by reading 1440! Dive into 1440, where 4 million Americans find their daily, fact-based news fix. We navigate through 100+ sources to deliver a comprehensive roundup from every corner of the internet – politics, global events, business, and culture, all in a quick, 5-minute newsletter. It's completely free and devoid of bias or political influence, ensuring you get the facts straight. Subscribe to 1440 today.

This newsletter was curated by Suhasini Patni.

Like our podcasts? Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple.

Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.