Many circumstances surrounding the film-including its unusual budget, length, and production time, as well as its similarities to the 1901 New York attraction-indicate that Méliès was especially keen to release the film in the United States [REF].
In addition to the opening of the American branch, various trade arrangements were made with other film companies, including American Mutoscope and Biograph, the Warwick Trading Company, the Charles Urban Trading Co., Robert W. Paul's studio, and Gaumont [REF].