[Spoilers Included]
Eight minutes. That was how long it took to rob the Louvre. The two burglars started their heist at 9:30 in the morning, in broad daylight, during museum operation hours, on Sunday, October 21, 2025. With construction vests, a truck-mounted ladder, glass-cutting tools, and a dream, the two managed to take over $100 million worth of jewelry.
A team of four used the truck-mounted ladder for their entrance and escape. Dressed as construction workers, the team was able to use the glass cutter to open the cases filled with jewelry. They took a crown, necklaces, and other jewels, and descended down the ladder untouched. Hopping on electric scooters, they team drove away.
This all took place at the Louvre, a world-renowned museum, situated on the banks of the Seine River in Paris, France. The museum houses countless priceless pieces of art, including Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Alexandros of Antioch’s sculpture, Venus de Milo, and many more. Some pieces of art date back almost 9,000 years. The museum stretches over 0.5 miles and is essentially a labyrinth, never-ending. With its iconic glass pyramid, the Louvre is the pride and joy of France. Despite the robbery and what it means for those in France, social media has had a field day, many appreciating the distraction from the unstable conditions of America. From Halloween costumes to TikTok edits, Gen Z has not stopped producing content.
Currently, there have been charges filed against four people whom the authorities have reason to believe were involved. However, one person who is believed to have played an impactful role in the heist is still at large, and the priceless jewelry has yet to be found.
Additionally, social media users and film critics have been comparing the heist to various action movies, as the robbery seems straight out of Hollywood. If you found the heist fascinating, here are a few movies/books you should consider looking into.
Ocean’s 11 – Action
While it does not take place at the Louvre, there are similarities between the two, including extravagant costumes and exit strategies. The film begins as Danny Ocean (played by George Clooney) is released from prison and meets up with his friend, Rusty Ryan (played by Brad Pitt), to whom he explains a heist plan. The heist involves stealing over 100 million dollars from the Bellagio vault in a Las Vegas casino. The two create a team of nine other associates and formulate a plan that can only be described as over the top. The team reviewed the plan, practiced, and became extremely familiar with the Bellagio. Additionally, during their preparation, there is a subplot romance between Danny Ocean and his ex-wife Tess Ocean (played by Julia Roberts). The team works together to break into the vault. They deceive the hotel owner, Terry Benedict (played by Andy Garcia), into believing they were in his vault, where, in actuality, they were dressed up as an emergency SWAT team that Benedict thought he had called for. The Ocean’s 11 team manages to walk away with their money, untouched, and Ocean wins back his wife.
I recommend this film if you want to see the fictional behind the scenes of a heist. It has moments that are both intense and comedic, and even has a “knight in shining armor” element, as Ocean does everything in his power to win back Tess, while also obtaining the money. The heist sequence in particular was quite well done, as there are moments when even the audience does not fully understand what is going to happen next. It may not take place in Paris, but it definitely is a must-see.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown – Action
Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code is a wonderful work of fiction. In typical “beach book” fashion, the book begins right away with the murder of the Louvre curator, Jacques Saunière, at the hands of Silas, a member of a conservative Catholic organization, Opus Dei. The book flips perspectives from Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon and Silas. Langdon was supposed to have a meeting with Saunière the night he died and became the top suspect. Cryptologist and member of the French equivalent of the F.B.I., Sophie Neveu, and Saunière’s granddaughter, is tasked with tracking Langdon. The two end up following a trail of clues set by Saunière before his death. Saunière was known for his challenges, clues, and mind games. The two attempt to decipher the clues in hopes of leading to the organization behind Saunière’s murder. Langdon taught symbology at Harvard, and uses that to his advantage when unpacking clues, while Neveu had grown up working through Saunière’s challenges, so she used that to her advantage. At the same time, the police were after Langdon, as he was the top suspect, and they were also after Neveu, as she ran away with Langdon, which appeared to the police that she was an associate in the murder. The two travel all throughout France, following the trail of clues. Along the way, there is an additional storyline of a romance between Langdon and Neveu.
The book is filled with true, interesting facts from art and symbols to Christianity. When in the Louvre, the reader learns about a handful of paintings and their artists. More specifically, they learn about the conspiracy that Da Vinci was connected to secret organizations such as the Priory of Sion. As they travel all across France, the reader gets to learn about what the region has to offer, as the two are running away from the police. While it is an intense, action-filled book, the are small moments that will make you smile. It is both entertaining and informative.
National Lampoon’s European Vacation – Comedy
This film is different compared to the other films, as it only features the Louvre in one small scene. However, through this comedic film, the family experiences Europe and Paris. It is a part of the National Lampoon’s movie series, which follows the Griswolds, more famously, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. This particular movie features the Griswolds’ family and their European adventure.
The film begins with the father, Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase), and his family competing in a game show called “Pig in a Poke”. The family ends up winning an all-expenses-paid trip to Europe. The family starts their trip off in London, where they stay at a partially run-down hotel. The family encounters a hostile environment in London. One particular event they found themselves in was getting stuck in a roundabout for hours. The Griswolds then begin their travels to their next destination, Paris. However, before they go, they manage to reverse their care into the world-famous Stonehenge monument, knocking over the roughly 5,000-year-old structure.
When in Paris, the family explores the city of love and all of the tourist attractions. The family also makes a pit stop at the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral, as well as the Eiffel Tower. It is at the Eiffel Tower that the family causes a dog to jump off the building. The family also gets their video camera stolen in the city.
The family then travels to Germany to visit their relatives, only they get the address wrong, and they end up staying with strangers. It wasn’t until their hosts brought out the photo books that they realized their mistake. The family quickly travels to Italy. There, they get involved with organized crime, as Ellen (the mother, played by Beverly D’Angelo) was kidnapped by a rental car thief. Griswold partakes in a high-speed car chase in an attempt to rescue his wife.
While this movie may not have the heist of the films and books mentioned above, its comedic and small, intense moments make up for it. While following the Griswolds, the viewer experiences various parts of Europe and what it has to offer, in a comedic way!
Wonder Woman (2017)
This film begins at the Louvre. Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) is working as an art curator for the Louvre when a mysterious briefcase is dropped off. The briefcase contains various photos and mementos of her time fighting in World War I. This triggers a flashback that is the main sequence of the film.
Princess Diana of Themyscira was a warrior at birth, but discovers her motivation to fight when pilot Steve Trevor crashes near her private island. This brought her news of the war, and she finds herself trying to take down Ares, the God of War, who is behind the war. This film is both intense and fascinating. While it begins at the Louvre, the location helps develop the plot of the movie.
While this may seem to make light of an unfortunate situation, just know that the French authorities are working tirelessly to make sure that the perpetrators are caught and the priceless jewelry is returned. In the meantime, I encourage you to consider looking into the movies above, and the many more the genre has to offer!
