Is Steve Jobs About to Move His Cheese?

Pixar's chief could shop for a new deal soon--leaving Disney minus an asset it sorely needs

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February 10, 2003 at 5:00 AM UTC

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What's the best way to tick off Walt Disney Co. (DIS )? Make an animated movie with a mouse as the lead character. That's exactly what Disney's partner, Pixar Animated Studios (PIXR ), is doing. The movie, which doesn't yet have a name, is about a little critter who lives in an upscale restaurant. And, at least for now, Disney has no rights to it at all.

Pixar's planned mouse tale is the latest jab in a year-long sparring match between Pixar CEO Steven P. Jobs, also head of Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL ), and Disney CEO Michael D. Eisner. The fight is over--what else?--money. Jobs wants more of it, especially after Pixar's run of blockbuster animated films for Disney, including Toy Story, A Bug's Life, and Monsters Inc. Without a new and better deal, Jobs could take his hit-making animators to another studio in 2006.