citations for verification . please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . unsourced material may be challenged and removed . june 2013 learn how and when to remove this template message world events productions current logo featuring a silhouette of voltron type private industry entertainment founded 1980 headquarters st. louis missouri united states key people ted koplar peter keefe 1 products anime cartoons website world events productions world events productions is an american based animation and distribution company in st. louis missouri best known for releasing the anime titles voltron defender of the universe and saber rider and the star sheriffs as well as producing the original animated series denver the last dinosaur . 2 3 contents 1 history 2 legal issues 3 titles 4 references 5 external links history edit founded in 1980 by ted koplar son of st. louis businessman and kplr tv founder harold koplar world events productions started out as a current events program on the tv station titled world events . in 1983 while attending a science fiction convention ted koplar discovered the anime series beast king golion and saw a potential in distributing it on u.s. television . wep licensed the series from toei animation and released it in 1984 in an edited and english dubbed form as voltron . the show was met with high ratings nationwide . after airing all episodes of golion wep adapted armored fleet dairugger xv into the second season of voltron . unfortunately the second season lacked the ratings of the first season as viewers were more used to the golion team . in response wep commissioned toei animation to produce 20 more episodes of the golion based voltron . in 1987 wep licensed star musketeer bismark from studio pierrot and released it as saber rider and the star sheriffs . the series was rewritten with several episodes rearranged or omitted ; in addition six new episodes were animated for the u.s. version . despite lacking the popularity of voltron saber rider has received a cult fan following throughout the years ; most prominently in germany . 4 after years of licensing and broadcasting anime wep ventured to original animated works . in 1988 the company released denver the last dinosaur which was met with positive feedback from parents groups and was recommended by the national education association . vytor the starfire champion was released in 1989 . despite being an international film and video festival and a new york festival award winner 5 the show s run on television was short lived . in 1998 wep revisited the voltron franchise with an all new tv series . voltron the third dimension was the 3 d animated sequel to the original series featuring some of the original voice cast plus actors clancy brown and tim curry . despite winning a daytime emmy award for outstanding sound editing the series received mixed responses from critics and fans of the original series . in 2008 world events licensed the original golion and dairugger xv in the u.s. in 2010 wep licensed rights for the voltron franchise to classic media now dreamworks classics . wep kickstart productions and classic media released an all new animated voltron series titled voltron force in june 2011 . the series takes place sometime after events in the original series and used to air on nicktoons . legal issues edit world events productions settled a legal dispute with toei animation in 2010 over copyright infringements of a potential live action voltron movie . in the past both companies disputed when voltron the third dimension was released . the previous dispute was settled in 2000 with wep acquiring the animated properties voltron and golion as well as vehicle force voltron and dairugger . the most recent legal issues between the two companies focus on wep s right to adapt the anime into live action and possibly marketing it in japan . as a result of this dispute 20th century fox and new regency productions pulled out of the live action project . 6 7 on july 2009 atlas entertainment acquired the live action film rights . 8 this prompted film producers james young ford oelman and mark costa to file a lawsuit against world events productions claiming that their companies animus films and nho entertainment have held exclusive live action rights to voltron since 2004 . 9 the live action project was eventually scrapped on june 2010 in favor of a new voltron television series . 10 titles edit voltron 1984 1985 adaptation of toei animation s beast king golion and armored fleet dairugger xv . voltron fleet of doom 1986 one off crossover of both voltron seasons co produced by toei animation . saber rider and the star sheriffs 1987 1988 adaptation of studio pierrot s star musketeer bismarck denver the last dinosaur 1988 wep s first all original work . vytor the starfire champion 1989 voltron the third dimension 1998 2000 3d animated sequel to voltron co produced by mike young productions voltron force 2011 2012 co produced by kickstart productions and dreamworks classics . voltron legendary defender 2016 present a new animated series co produced by dreamworks animation television . references edit koppel niko 10 june 2010 . peter keefe creator of cartoon voltron dies at 57 . the new york times . retrieved 4 august 2010 . history of world events part 1 2 . world events productions . youtube . 2008 04 04 . retrieved 2008 10 06 . history of world events part 2 2 . world events productions . youtube . 2008 04 04 . retrieved 2008 10 06 . saber rider official german website wep about us lawsuit launched over proposed live action voltron film . anime news network . 2008 11 18 . retrieved 2008 11 20 . superheroflix voltron fights giant monsters and legal troubles anime news network.com proposed live action voltron film gets new producers anime news network.com voltron producers launch new suit vs. u.s. rights holder variety.com tv and toys set to relaunch voltron 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