Though Kevin James is famous for Paul Blart: Mall Cop, he says Adam Sandler was instrumental in getting the movie made.
In the 2009 action-comedy film, James plays Paul Blart, a mall security guard who becomes a hero when he has to rescue hostages during a robbery. The movie was very successful, earning $183.8 million globally on a $26 million budget, and led to a 2015 sequel, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. James produced both films through his production company, Happy Madison.
During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, James revealed that he believes Paul Blart: Mall Cop wouldn’t have been made without Adam Sandler’s help. James said the initial version of the movie was terrible and feared it would ruin his career. Sandler then stepped in, allowing for more creative freedom and making changes that James credits with ultimately making the film a success. You can see his full comments below.
He really saved my career. I wouldn’t have been able to get my movie, Mall Cop, made without him. He took the initiative and made it happen. We filmed and initially edited it, and the first cut was terrible – I honestly thought it would end my career. We were all really worried. But Adam stepped in and told me to calm down, then he reviewed the footage. He had a great sense of what needed to be done – he knew how to improve the pacing and structure. He essentially reshaped the film into what it ultimately became, and it was incredible.
Rather than being a career low point, Paul Blart: Mall Cop turned into one of James’ most famous roles and even started a film series. Although only one sequel has been released so far, he’s still optimistic about making Paul Blart 3. In a 2022 interview with ScreenRant, he said, “Yeah. Well, we’ve got to figure that out. I would love that. I don’t know what the story is yet. But it was so much fun shooting in Vegas. That was a great time.”
Alongside Kevin James, the movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop starred Jayma Mays, Bobby Cannavale, Keir O’Donnell, Adam Ferrara, and Raini Rodriguez. Raini Rodriguez returned for the sequel to play Paul’s daughter, Maya, and the cast expanded to include Neal McDonough, David Henrie, Daniella Alonso, and Loni Love. Adam Sandler’s wife, Jackie, made a cameo appearance as ‘Attractive Lady,’ and their nephew, Jared, played a character with the same name. James wrote both films, while Steve Carr directed the first one and Andy Fickman directed the sequel.
While known for the Paul Blart films, Kevin James and Adam Sandler have worked together on many other projects. These include I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2, Zookeeper, Home Team, Pixels, Sandy Wexler, Leo, Hubie Halloween, and the first three Hotel Transylvania movies. James has said he greatly respects Sandler, explaining, “I just follow him,” and values his guidance.
Kevin James’ new film, Solo Mio, is receiving much better reviews than his previous work, earning an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This is his highest-rated movie yet! Notably, Adam Sandler wasn’t involved in this project. While Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) was a box office success, critics weren’t impressed – it only received a 34% rating. The sequel fared even worse, with a score of just 6%.
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2026-02-08 17:58