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Diabolik: Who Are You? (2023) movie poster

Plot Summary

Diabolik: Who Are You? (2023) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 124 mins · Italian
Directed by
Antonio Manetti, Marco Manetti
Starring
Monica Bellucci, Giacomo Gianniotti, Lorenzo Zurzolo, Massimiliano Rossi, Miriam Leone, Valerio Mastandrea
Budget
$7.1M

Two notorious criminals, Diabolik and Ginko, are unexpectedly captured by a dangerous gang of bank robbers and face a grim fate. As Eva Kant and Altea work together to save their respective lovers, Diabolik shares a glimpse into his enigmatic history with the Inspector, complicating their already tense relationship.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 What happens: full plot
  2. 2 Plot questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like Diabolik: Who Are You?
  5. 5 Every angle

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Diabolik: Who Are You?: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Diabolik: Who Are You? (2023) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Diabolik and Eva Kant craft an intricate plan to target the wealthy aristocrat, Countess Wiendemar. Their scheme begins with Diabolik kidnapping Gabriella Bauer, the countess's trusted banker, so that Eva can impersonate her. Disguised as Gabriella, Eva aims to steal a collection of valuable ancient coins, which are kept in the countess's bank. The plan reaches a thrilling climax when Diabolik, in a fast getaway car, arrives just in time to facilitate their escape. Everything seems to go smoothly until unexpectedly, a gang of armed men storms the bank, catching everyone off guard. In a shocking turn of events, they murder Countess Wiendemar right before Eva’s eyes, and make off with the coins, completing their raid and leaving chaos behind.

The police, led by Inspector Ginko, are promptly assigned to investigate the robbery. He is assisted by his loyal friend, Sergeant Palmer, and together they begin piecing together the clues. Their investigation quickly points to Diego Manden, a notorious criminal mastermind who, under the guise of a respected lawyer, hides the true extent of his criminal enterprise. Diabolik learns Manden’s real identity and, along with Eva, employs their disguising skills to track him. They manage to follow his regular routines to locate his secluded mansion deep in the countryside. Believing they can reclaim the stolen coins, Diabolik attempts to sneak into Manden’s estate alone, confident that he is unaccompanied. However, his attempt turns into a trap, and he is ambushed by Manden's gang.

Diabolik wakes up restrained in a basement, only to discover Ginko is also there—much to his surprise. The inspector confesses that he had tried an earlier plan to catch Manden but had failed. Tragically, Palmer, who was supposed to help in the rescue, was captured and, in a devastating turn, murdered, with his body dumped in an abandoned car trunk. Since no one was informed of their operation, Ginko admits to Diabolik that their chances of rescue are slim, and their deaths seem inevitable. Before they face their grim fate, Ginko makes a final request: that Diabolik shares his own past, so that he might understand his elusive nemesis better.

Diabolik reveals that he knows little about his origins. Orphaned as a young boy, he was raised on a remote island by a secret society of criminals, led by a legendary thief known only as "King". King recognized Diabolik’s talent and cunning, and was eager to make him his successor. However, Diabolik soon discovers that the trust was false—King feared Diabolik and considered him a threat. In a desperate act of self-preservation, Diabolik kills King using a mask technology he invented, which allows him to assume different identities. He then takes King’s place, securing the means to start his own criminal empire.

Meanwhile, Eva, distressed by Diabolik’s mysterious disappearance, watches a news report featuring Ginko’s former fiancée, Altea di Vallenberg. The report includes a coded message hinting at their earlier interactions. Disguised as Altea’s former stylist, Eva confronts her to understand what happened to Ginko and Diabolik. Moved by her story, Altea offers her help, and together, they travel to Diabolik’s secret lair to devise a new plan to rescue him.

Manden orders Loris, one of his men, to execute Ginko and Diabolik, but the two are able to fight back and overpower their assassin, even managing to outsmart him and end his life. Eva, meanwhile, creates a distraction by using Diabolik’s bulletproof car to lure Manden’s remaining men outside. She skillfully fights them off, one by one, until Manden attempts to surrender. However, he is tranquilized and captured. Revealing her disguise as Altea, Eva unwittingly surprises her enemies when the real Eva arrives to help free the captives. A tense conflict ensues, and Eva turns against Altea, subduing her along with Ginko.

When Altea wakes up, she finds Eva and Diabolik gone. However, Eva secretly returns Altea’s cherished Black Panther necklace as a token of kindness. At Palmer’s funeral, Ginko confesses his feelings and kisses Altea, expressing his hope to marry her someday. The story concludes with Diabolik and Eva, disguised as an elderly couple, pulling off a daring theft at an auction. Eva successfully recovers her signature pink diamond, a treasured keepsake from her past adventures, symbolizing her resilience and unwavering partnership with Diabolik as they continue to outsmart their enemies and chase their elusive fortunes.

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:13

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Plot questions answered

Diabolik: Who Are You? Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Diabolik: Who Are You? (2023): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why did the gang kill Countess Wiendemar during the bank robbery?

The gang killed Countess Wiendemar to eliminate witnesses and ensure they could escape without being identified. While Diabolik and Eva planned to steal the ancient coins quietly, Manden's men had a different agenda, they wanted the coins for themselves and weren't concerned about leaving casualties. The murder was meant to create chaos and cover their escape, though it also disrupted Diabolik and Eva's carefully orchestrated plan.

  • countess wiendemar
  • murder
  • bank robbery
  • manden
Q2

How did Inspector Ginko end up captured in Manden's basement?

Ginko had been conducting his own separate investigation into Manden's criminal activities. He attempted to infiltrate Manden's mansion with a small team, including Sergeant Palmer, but the operation failed catastrophically. Palmer was killed, and Ginko was captured and restrained in the basement, just hours before Diabolik arrived following his own failed infiltration. Neither knew the other was already imprisoned there.

  • inspector ginko
  • captured
  • manden
  • basement
Q3

What happened to Sergeant Palmer in the movie?

Sergeant Palmer was killed during Ginko's failed attempt to arrest Manden. After Ginko's team was ambushed, Palmer was captured and murdered by Manden's gang. His body was dumped in an abandoned car trunk, and because the operation was kept secret from other police officers, no one knew Palmer was missing or in danger until it was too late.

  • palmer
  • death
  • sergeant
  • murdered
  • manden
Q4

Why did Diabolik kill King and take over his criminal organization?

Diabolik was orphaned as a child and raised on a remote island by a secret society of criminals led by a figure known only as "King." King recognized Diabolik's exceptional talent and initially planned to make him his successor. However, King ultimately feared Diabolik's growing power and considered him a threat. To survive and escape being killed himself, Diabolik used mask technology he invented to assume King's identity, then killed the real King and took command of the criminal organization.

  • king
  • diabolik backstory
  • criminal organization
  • island
Q5

How did Eva rescue Diabolik and Ginko from Manden's hideout?

Eva infiltrated Manden's compound by using Diabolik's bulletproof car to lure his men outside. Once inside, she fought through the guards one by one, ultimately cornering Manden and tranquilizing him with a dart. She then revealed her true identity and freed both Diabolik and Ginko from their restraints.

  • eva kant
  • rescue
  • manden
  • hideout
  • fight
Q6

Why did Eva double-cross Altea and Ginko after rescuing them?

After freeing Diabolik and Ginko, Eva surprised everyone by turning against both Altea and Ginko, subduing them. This was part of Diabolik and Eva's typical operating procedure, they don't fully trust authorities and need to escape before Ginko can arrest them. The double-cross was a strategic move to ensure their freedom rather than any malicious intent toward Altea specifically.

  • eva
  • altea
  • double-cross
  • ginko
  • betrayal
Q7

What was the significance of the Black Panther necklace?

The Black Panther necklace belonged to Altea di Vallenberg, Ginko's former fiancée. After Eva subdued Altea and left, she secretly returned the necklace as a gesture of gratitude for Altea's help in the rescue mission. This act demonstrated that despite being criminals, Diabolik and Eva operate by their own code of honor and repay debts of kindness.

  • black panther necklace
  • altea
  • return
  • gratitude
Q8

How did Diabolik and Eva steal the pink diamond at the auction?

The film concludes with Diabolik and Eva executing their signature disguise-based heist. They infiltrated an auction while disguised as an elderly couple, using their classic tactics of misdirection and infiltration. Eva successfully recovered her iconic pink diamond, a treasured keepsake from previous adventures, demonstrating their continued success as criminal partners.

  • auction
  • pink diamond
  • heist
  • elderly couple
  • final scene
Q9

Why was Diabolik ambushed when he thought Manden was alone?

Diabolik believed Manden would be unaccompanied at his countryside mansion, based on intelligence gathered through surveillance. However, Manden had already anticipated Diabolik's approach and set up an ambush. Manden was a careful criminal mastermind who maintained heavy security and was always prepared for threats, histrap was specifically designed to capture Diabolik.

  • diabolik
  • ambush
  • manden
  • trap
  • mansion
Q10

How did Eva find out about Ginko's connection to Altea?

After Diabolik disappeared, Eva saw a news broadcast featuring Altea di Vallenberg, Ginko's former fiancée. The report included a coded message hinting at their earlier interactions. Recognizing this as a potential lead, Eva disguised herself as Altea's former stylist to confront her and gather information about Diabolik's whereabouts, ultimately convincing Altea to help plan the rescue.

  • eva
  • altea
  • disguise
  • stylist
  • news broadcast

Movie threads

More Movies Like Diabolik: Who Are You?, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Diabolik: Who Are You? tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Tense Heist Dramas with Cunning Partners like in Diabolik: Who Are You?

High-stakes criminal plans where trust and skill are the only currencies. If you enjoyed the high-stakes action and intricate criminal partnership in Diabolik: Who Are You?, you'll love these movies. This section features similar tense thrillers and crime stories where master thieves execute daring plans, testing their loyalty and skills against formidable odds.

  • tense
  • thrilling
  • cunning
  • dangerous
  • romantic
  • calculating
  • Tone: tense, dangerous
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a pair or team of skilled criminals as they attempt a high-risk score. The narrative is driven by the execution of the plan, facing unexpected obstacles, and the interpersonal dynamics between the partners, often involving themes of trust, betrayal, and a shared dangerous past.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on elaborate criminal schemes, the tense cat-and-mouse dynamics with authorities or rivals, and the central, often romantic, partnership that is both a source of strength and vulnerability for the protagonists.

Bittersweet Crime Journeys like in Diabolik: Who Are You?

Criminals achieve their goals, but not without a lasting personal cost. For viewers who liked the mix of successful heists and emotional sacrifice in Diabolik: Who Are You?, this section collects movies with similar bittersweet endings. These stories balance thrilling criminal escapades with a poignant cost, leaving characters with a victory that feels incomplete.

  • bittersweet
  • tense
  • thrilling
  • melancholic
  • vengeful
  • dangerous
  • Tone: tense, melancholic
  • Pacing: fast
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves characters navigating a dangerous world to achieve a clear goal, often a heist or revenge. While they ultimately succeed, the journey results in significant personal loss—such as the death of an ally or a fractured relationship—creating an ending that is triumphant yet somber.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their specific emotional blend: the adrenaline of criminal success is tempered by a tangible sense of loss. They share a fast pace, high tension, and an ending that feels more contemplative than purely celebratory.

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Every angle

Diabolik: Who Are You? (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Diabolik: Who Are You? in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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