A sequel to Adam Sandler's lucrative deal with Netflix, with the pair of Paul Blart films among the most financially lucrative.

The Paul Blart movies star Kevin James (King of Queens) as the titular security officer. Both films involve the bumbling mall cop getting unwittingly involved in heist plots, with the protagonist floundering around while pursuing the bad guys. Fans of those films have been holding out hope for years that Blart would return (even if some elements of Paul Blart haven't aged well), a sentiment that's been openly shared by Kevin James as well. However, there are a few reasons why that film likely still hasn't been produced, and potentially never will.

Paul Blart 2 Wasn't As Successful As The First Movie

$100 Million At The Box Office Still Made Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 A Disappointment Compared To The Original

The tepid response to Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 makes it unlikely Paul Blart 3 will be made. Despite receiving harsh reviews, Paul Blart: Mall Cop — produced for $26 million — earned over $183 million at the box office. The film's success parallels that of Happy Madison's earlier releases like Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. Both movies leaned away from the traditional idea of "leading man" traits and played up the unlikely aspects of their lead characters. The slapstick of Paul Blart: Mall Cop struck a chord with audiences, and turned the Kevin James vehicle into a surprise hit.

Due to Paul Blart: Mall Cop's success, it made perfect sense to produce a sequel. Released six years after the first film, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 wasn't nearly as impressive at the box office. While Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 did earn over $100 million at the box office, it had a significantly higher budget. As a result, it was considered to have failed to match the success of the prior film. Coupled with the film's dismal critical reception (earning a 6% on Rotten Tomatoes), Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 suggested a sequel won't be made.

What Kevin James Has Said About Paul Blart 3

Kevin James Still Holds Out Hope For A Paul Blart Return

Although Paul Blart earned an impressive box office with a pair of relatively affordable comedy budgets, the dwindling success of the series and harsh critical reception to the second film makes an official third entry in the series unlikely. Despite the lack of any clear movement on Paul Blart: Mall Cop 3, Kevin James and co-star Lauren Ash have both been vocal about their desire to see the series continue in some form. During an interview between Kevin James and Screen Rant, James reflected on the fun he had playing Blart and revealed his desire to reprise the character.

"Yeah. Well, we've got to work that one 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."

Despite James' excitement at reprising the role, Paul Blart doesn't seem to be on the docket for a prospective return. This actually continues a trend consistent with Happy Madison's filmography. The production company doesn't seem to have much interest in producing third installments in any of their series. While there have been a few sequels produced by the company (like 2015's Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser and 2023's Murder Mystery 2), they've never made a third entry to a series. Paul Blart 3 would be a deviation for the company, even if James really wants to see it.

How The 2015 Sequel Sets Up Paul Blart 3

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 3 Could Relocate Paul To A New Setting

James' comments suggest that Paul Blart: Mall Cop 3 has never moved forward in development, even as the ending of Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 did set up potential new directions to take the character. After facing off with the dangerous criminal Vincent Sofel, Blart and his friends are able to prevent a massive heist in Las Vegas. Although he'd succeeded in the first film, his defeat of Vincent was a more high-profile victory at a massive casino. This act also earned Paul an impressive reward that he used to send his daughter to UCLA.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 also teased a more potential new romance with an officer in the city, suggesting that Paul's next adventures could take place in Los Angeles. This could be an ideal way to bring Paul to Hollywood, contrasting the big-hearted and big-bellied Paul against the more traditionally slim and serious city. A potential sequel could go an even more absurd direction, similar to the independent 2023 play from playwright Alan Talaga titled Paul Blart 3: Blart of Darkness. While there's currently no movement on Paul Blart 3, there's always a chance another entry could be produced.