AfterthetremendouspopularsuccessoftheFantômasnovels,bothofthemajorFrenchfilmstudios—PathéandGaumont—viedfortherightstoproducefilmsbasedontheseries.Gaumontwon,andfromApril1913toMay1914LouisFeuilladedirectedfiveFantômasfilmswhichcriticDavidThomsonhasdescribedas"thefirstgreatmovieexperience."ddd