Paul Blart: Mall Cop is a 2009 American action comedy film released by Columbia Pictures. The film was directed by Steve Carr and co-written by Kevin James, who stars as the title character, Paul Blart. Filming began in February 2008 with most of the shooting taking place at the Burlington Mall in Burlington, Massachusetts. The film opened in the United States on January 16, 2009.
Despite receiving generally negative reviews, the film went on to become a box office success. Created on a relatively small budget of $26 million, it grossed $31.8 million in its opening weekend and finished with a domestic gross of more than $146 million and a worldwide total that exceeded $183 million.