AfterthetremendouspopularsuccessoftheFantômasnovels,bothofthemajorFrenchfilmstudios—PathéandGaumont—viedfortherightstoproducefilmsbasedontheseries.Gaumontwon,andfromApril1913toMay1914LouisFeuilladedirectedfiveFantômasfilmswhichcriticDavidThomsonhasdescribedasquot;thefirstgreatmovieexperience.quot;