According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Walt Disney Co. and Pixar Animation Studios Inc. have agreed to extend their current distribution agreement to include Pixar's 2007 release, Ratatouille, a deal that will be moot if Disney's proposed acquisition of Pixar closes this summer as expected.

The two companies negotiated what amounts to a one-picture extension as a fail-safe measure in case the acquisition doesn't happen. "This is a deal that Disney and Pixar negotiated independent of the proposed merger to handle the distribution of Ratatouille until such time as the transaction closes," Pixar said Thursday in a statement.