Independent producers James Young, Ford Oelman, and Mark Costa have filed suit against St. Louis-based World Events Productions and Kickstart Productions alleging that the Voltron rights holders were negotiating with other producers during the period that Young, Oelman, and Costa’s Animus Films and NHO Entertainment had an exclusive agreement with them on the Voltron project.

 

The plaintiff/producers began work on Voltron in 2004 hiring writers and helping to clear the rights to the property, which is based on two different anime series (Beast King Golion and Armored Fleet Dairugger XV).  According to The Hollywood Reporter the plaintiffs are not contesting the deal announced in July in which Atlas Productions acquired the rights to develop a Voltron feature (see “Voltron Movie Gets New Producer”) and “the suit probably won’t threaten” the development of the long-gestating project.

 

The suit is really about getting recognition for the work that the producers put in on the project.  Young told The Reporter: “We want the movie to get made.  We just want to make sure we're involved in some way and are compensated.”