In its complaint, Universal states that Oliver and Ponce forced Universal to renegotiate under “economic duress” by an “outrageous and wholly unjustified” refusal to perform in “Problem Child II” unless their financial demands were met. According to Ponce, she had asked for $1 million for Oliver-the same salary she said was paid to John Ritter, who starred as Junior’s harried father-but settled on the total of $500,000 minimum. He also was guaranteed another $250,000 at least, depending on the film’s revenue. However, before shooting commenced on “Problem Child II,” Oliver’s contract was renegotiated to pay him a $250,000 salary. That figure was upped to $80,000 during filming of “Problem Child.” In his contract for the first movie, Oliver was guaranteed $60,000 if he made a second picture. Oliver was paid $40,000 for the first movie it earned $53 million in its domestic release.

In a case loaded with complaints and cross-complaints, the dispute boils down to a disagreement between Universal and Oliver over the renegotiation of the child actor’s contract between “Problem Child” and “Problem Child II.”

But 10-year-old Michael Oliver, who starred as the incorrigible Junior in Universal Pictures’ “Problem Child” and “Problem Child II,” has been slapped with a $190,000 lawsuit in a bitter contract dispute with Universal over his salary for the sequel.īeginning with a pretrial hearing today in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Universal will launch a courtroom attack against Oliver and his mother and guardian, Dianne Ponce. One naughty boy might spend a week with no Nintendo another disobedient darling could go to bed without dessert.

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