Under a Dark Sun

Under a Dark Sun
Soleil noir (French)
Genre
Created byNils-Antoine Sambuc
Directed by
  • Marie Jardillier
  • Edouard Salier
Starring
Country of originFrance
Original languageFrench
No. of episodes6
Production
Running time45–52 minutes
Production companies
  • Itinéraire Productions
  • Plaza Mayor Company
  • UGC Fiction
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseJuly 9, 2025 (2025-07-09)

Under a Dark Sun (Soleil noir) is a French mystery thriller television miniseries created by Nils-Antoine Sambuc.[1] The series stars Isabelle Adjani and Ava Baya.[2][3] All six episodes were released globally on Netflix on July 9, 2025. Set in Provence, the plot follows a seasonal worker who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a wealthy estate owner.[4]

Plot

Alba is a young mother who flees her past to take a seasonal job at the Lasserre family's prestigious flower farm in Provence. Shortly after her arrival, the family patriarch, Arnaud Lasserre, is found murdered. Alba becomes the primary suspect in the investigation.

As the police probe more deeply, it is revealed that Arnaud had recently altered his will to leave his entire estate to Alba. The discovery that Alba is Arnaud's illegitimate daughter fuels the hostility of the Lasserre matriarch, Béatrice. Alba must prove her innocence while navigating the dangerous secrets of the Lasserre dynasty.

Cast and characters

Production

The series was produced by Itinéraire Productions in association with Plaza Mayor Company and UGC Fiction.[5][6] Nils-Antoine Sambuc served as the lead writer. Direction for the first four episodes was handled by Marie Jardillier, while Edouard Salier directed the final two episodes. Filming took place on location in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France.[7]

Release

The series premiered on Netflix on July 9, 2025. Upon release, it reached the top 10 most-watched programs on the platform in over 40 countries.[1][7]

Reception

The series received mixed reviews from critics. Reviewers from Decider gave the show a "Stream It" recommendation, noting that while the mystery was "pedestrian," the show had "just enough thrills" and "fun-to-watch performances by Baya and Adjani" to make it worth a viewer's time.[8] Conversely, a review for Mid-Day was more critical, describing it as a "frenzied drama" where "hollow thrills alone are not enough" and noting that the "numerous twists and turns" eventually became "tedious and irritating."[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Chakrabarty, Arunava (2025-07-16). "Under A Dark Sun: Netflix Thriller With Twisty Murder Mystery Plot Rises To #2 On Global Streaming Charts". Koimoi. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
  2. ^ "Breaking Down the Gripping Ending of Under a Dark Sun". TIME. Archived from the original on 2025-07-22. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
  3. ^ "Under a Dark Sun: Who Is Alba's Biological Father in the Netflix Series?". Yahoo Entertainment. 2025-07-11. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
  4. ^ Doupe', Tyler (2025-07-18). "The Most Watched Crime Thriller Series on Netflix Is Unhinged and Fast-Paced: "Thank me later"". Dread Central. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
  5. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (2025-09-02). "Canal+ Enters Negotiations To Acquire Minority Stake In UGC With Option To Buy French Cinema Group Outright In 2028". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
  6. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (2025-09-08). "Canal+/UGC Deal: French Directors' Guilds Say Monitoring Implications For Creative Independence & Cultural Sovereignty". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
  7. ^ a b MacArthur, Greg (2025-07-14). "Netflix's New Crime Thriller With Only 6 Episodes Becomes Global Streaming Success Days After Release". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
  8. ^ "'Under A Dark Sun' Netflix Review: Stream It Or Skip It?". decider.com. 2025-07-09. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
  9. ^ "Under a Dark Sun series review: Hollow thrills alone are not enough". Mid-day. 2025-07-12. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
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