In the ongoing smackdown of animated feature films, Pixar's Finding Nemo has moved past distributor Disney's The Lion King as the top-grossing animated film of all time.

The spunky G-rated underwater adventure reeled in $4.39 million over the weekend, bringing its total North American take to $313.1 million, surpassing The Lion King's $312.9 million in domestic ticket sales generated when that film was released in 1994.

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Swimming into theaters May 30, the computer-animated fish flick netted $70 million its opening weekend, the best ever debut for a 'toon. Nemo's been packing 'em in like sardines and drowning rivals ever since. I was shocked, and delighted, to see how packed the theater was when we finally got around to seeing Nemo just two weeks ago. Now the fun will begin: this was supposed to be the last picture by Pixar Disney was going to distribute, at least as far as Pixar is concerned. The contract called for five films, and Pixar has delivered: Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo. Disney, however, contends that sequels don't count in the deal, and the two companies could find their way in to court to resolve the matter. Disney must be quaking in their boots; since The Lion King, they haven't released any animated film worth squat that they produced themselves. If Pixar jumps ship to, say, oh, Dreamworks, Disney's biggest competitor in animated films, they're sunk. Eh, forget all that. I just realized that Pixar's next flick, The Incredibles, is going to be released by Disney. So they must have resolved that whole contract thing after all, in Disney's favor. Or the two companies signed a new one...