Those who enjoy true-crime stories and daring heist thrillers have found their latest weekend binge with Cash Queens, aka Les Lionnes, an 8-part French series new to Netflix in Feb. 2026. Based on an incredible true story, the series follows an intrepid quintet of women who, out of financial necessity, disguise themselves as men and conduct harrowing robberies across France.
Funny, fast-paced, and vividly colorful, Cash Queens is precisely the kind of Netflix series tailor-made for a weekend sitdown. Not only are the five main female characters sympathetic because of their economic desperation, but the story is shockingly based on a real-life event that occurred in France in 1989. Don’t wait, all hail Cash Queens at once!
‘Cash Queens’ Makes a Wild True-Crime Story Into an Immensely Entertaining Binge-Watch
Sofia and her friends pose by a pile of cash in Cash QueensNetflix
Inspired by the Gangs de Amazones, a crew of five French women who successfully pilfered from seven banks in South France in 1989, Cash Queens handles its gritty subject matter with a light touch that blends humor and heartfelt pathos. The Netflix true-crime series instantly compels viewers to sympathize with Rosalie (Rebecca Marder), a single mother whose husband went to jail for laundering money through his restaurant. Punished for his misdeeds, Rosalie owes debts and is forced to live on 30 Euros per week with her children.
Viewers then meet Sofia (Naidra Ayadi), another single mother who is ordered to renovate her house or else she’ll lose her children to child services. When Rosalie and Sofia concoct a gallant scheme to pose as men and steal $100,000 from the bank where Rosalie works, Rosalie’s architect cousin Alex (Tya Desluariers), massage therapist best friend Kim (Zoe Marchal), and getaway driver Chloe (Pascale Arbillot) join the cause.
Edited at a fast pace with nary a dull moment, the gritty heist scenes and intense car chases are stylish, intense, and downright riveting. However, if the cash-strapped motivations for the women weren’t established as desperate necessities, the robberies wouldn’t resonate nearly as much. If these were cold-hearted career thieves only interested in amassing as much material wealth as possible, no one would care. On the contrary, it’s impossible not to root for Rosalie and Sofia to pull off the heists so they can remain with their families and provide better lives for their children.
Adding personal conflict to the characters is Sofia’s brother, Malik (Sami Outalbali), a police officer who becomes aware of the stolen loot. There’s also Chloe’s corrupt mayoral husband, Michel (François Damiens), and a local mob enforcer with his eye on the stolen cash. The visceral thrills in the series derive from how likable the five women are, how much danger they are willing to put themselves in to improve their stations, and the genuine desire to see them triumph over their financial straits. Beating a sea of shady criminals and politicians adds to the exhilarating fun.
Moreover, in what’s becoming an established sweet spot for Netflix thriller binge-watching, Cash Queens runs for just 8 episodes, each well under 60 minutes. All 8 episodes were released at once, on Feb. 5, 2026, making for a perfect weekend watch at home alone or with friends and family.
Finally, the appeal of Cash Queens isn’t that it condones robbery or criminal behavior. Rather, it advocates for agency and empowerment of its characters to grasp the crushing circumstances in their lives, regain control, and write their own fates together as one. As much a tale of family and friendship as an incredible true-crime dramedy, Cash Queens is priceless indeed.
Release Date
February 5, 2026
Network
Netflix
Directors
Olivier Rosemberg