“I’m looking at you”: Adam Devine calls out Paramount for holding the Workaholics movie “hostage”
Adam Devine slammed Paramount+ for canceling the Workaholics movie just five weeks before production began.
The interview was released over three months ago on YouTube, but with Paramount's recent cancellation of The Late Show, people are looking at Devine's story with renewed interest.
First up: What is Workaholics?
Workaholics is a cult-favorite Comedy Central sitcom that ran from 2011 to 2017.
Created by and starring Adam Devine, Blake Anderson, and Anders Holm, the show followed three slacker roommates navigating adulthood with zero ambition but endless antics. Its offbeat humor and tight-knit cast earned the show a loyal fan base.
Since the series wrapped, fans have been waiting for a proper sendoff. A Workaholics movie, planned for Paramount+, was meant to deliver that closure. However, the project came to a screeching halt, and Devine is now openly blaming the studio.
What went down, according to Devine
During a recent interview with Graham Bensinger, Devine didn’t hold back. In a viral TikTok clip from the interview, Bensinger asked, "[What was] your reaction when a pause was put on the Workaholics movie?"
Devine responded bluntly, "Oh, gutted, dude. Oh, that sucked." He explained that his manager broke the news abruptly, saying, "They’re not doing the f*****g movie," just weeks before filming was set to begin.
"It was five weeks before we were about to start shooting," Devine said. "We were building sets. We had hired the crew. The cast was all lined up to do everything."
Importantly, Devine emphasized the impact on others, too: "And it really sucked for all the crew members that, like, they planned on this job, and so now they have to scramble to get new work in just a few weeks? So it sucked for everybody involved."
He ended the rant by looking straight at the camera and saying, "F*** Paramount+. I'm looking at you."
When asked whether he’d consider buying the rights, Devine admitted it’s not possible. "I don’t know. I can’t afford the rights, man. They’re holding that thing hostage."
He said Paramount+ refused to sell, only offering to lease the rights to other platforms like Netflix. "That’s not a good deal," he said, explaining that Netflix didn’t want to pay full production costs just to host the film temporarily.
This situation isn’t unique. Recently, Stephen Colbert fans were stunned when CBS and parent company Paramount canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, adding to a growing list of sudden decisions that have left creators and audiences hanging.
Reactions to the cancellation of Workaholics
On social media, fans voiced frustration over the move. One TikTok user commented, "These streaming platforms would literally rather see IP die than sell it to let another one succeed."
Another wrote, "Paramount is sounding more like a Private Equity company than a media company lately."
"This was the only movie I had been looking forward to in 10+ years. Gutted. I feel for dem boys," added a third person.
The growing backlash reflects broader tensions in Hollywood, as creators feel studios increasingly prioritize control over creativity.
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