Latest news with #JoshDuhamel
Forbes
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Josh Duhamel Says Living Off The Grid Prepped Him For New Tech Thriller
Josh Duhamel in "Off the Grid." Ransom Canyon star Josh Duhamel didn't have a rough time getting to know the set of his new film Off the Grid because the actor lives off the grid in real-life. Off the grid for Duhamel — a Minot, N.D. native — is the deep woods of Northern Minnesota, a state the acclaimed Transformers and Shotgun Wedding star and his family call their adopted home. Being in Minnesota also allows Duhamel to catch games of his pro sports favorites, including NFL's Minnesota Vikings and MLB's Minnesota Twins, each of which he's been cheering on for years. In return, Minnesota has embraced Duhamel, awarding him, for example, the 2024 North Star Award from the Twin Cities Film Fest, an honor reserved for actors who hail from the North Star state. Opening in select theaters and arriving on digital streaming via video on demand on Friday, Off the Grid is directed by Johnny Martin and written by Jim Agnew. In the film, Duhamel plays Guy, a brilliant scientist who is forced to go on the run after the unscrupulous company he is working for wants to use a groundbreaking mini cold fusion reactor for nefarious purposes. However, when company owner Belcor (Peter Stormare) and Guy's former mentor, Ranish (Greg Kinnear), locate Guy's whereabouts and send a strike team after him, the scientist has to spring into action. Using his technical wherewithal and survival skills of living off the grid, guy takes on his adversaries in ways they won't see coming. Josh Duhamel Is Unplugged But Locked And Loaded In 'Off The Grid' One benefit that Josh Duhamel didn't exactly expect was that living off the grid in Minnesota would come in quite handy while filming Off the Grid the movie. 'That's one of the reasons why I wanted to do it,' Duhamel said in a recent Zoom conversation, fittingly, from his home in the Northern Minnesota woods. 'I just felt really connected to this idea that Guy was forced to do this because he took his invention of cold fusion technology, which was intended to be free energy to the world, but the government wanted to weaponize it.' As such, Duhamel put his real-life experience of living a simple life far away from the rat race to good use. Thanks to a great tax rebate, Duhamel and director Johnny Martin found their ideal off the grid shooting location in Mississippi. 'Guy had to [embrace] the idea able to build this little life out of the way and unplugged from everything,' Duhamel explained. 'He finds peace in it but also a lot of loneliness and yearning for human connection and all those things. I think that if you're alone, doing this would be really tough. But that's what really drew me to this.' Another bonus is, that Duhamel gets to channel a bit of the character that Minnesota native Richard Dean Anderson made famous for seven seasons on ABC-TV from 1985 to 1992. '[I loved Guy's] innovation and ability MacGyver all these different gadgets. It was really fun,' Duhamel enthused. 'I love that I just thought that it was a great hook for the movie. So, I just love this world. I thought, 'What a great sort of contrast between this simple life and the industrial complex doing everything they can to use to find this guy, but run into a total David versus Goliath sort of situation.' NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Josh Duhamel attends the Men's Health Lab hosted by Hearst Magazines ... More at Hearst Tower on June 12, 2025 in New York City. (Photo byfor Hearst Magazines) On top of utilitizing some MacGyver-type skills, Duhamel brings a bit of Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo to his character in Off the Grid in the way he faces off against the bad guys, even if wasn't intentional. 'I guess there's maybe a little bit [of Rambo in there], but I'm never gonna pretend that I'm Sylvester Stallone. That guy's a badass,' Duhamel said with a smile. 'He is more like a former Green Beret out there in Rambo: First Blood [Part II]." It was just an amazing movie. I guess I never really thought about it [with my character in Off the Grid]. From that point of view, I can see the similarities.' Duhamel, of course, lives a more peaceful existence off the grid away from acting and he hopes to visit his wooded getaway in Minnesota as often as he can. In the meantime, Duhamel is prepping his return to the Netflix hit Ransom Canyon, which was renewed for a second season this week and going into production in September. In the meantime, audiences can see Josh Duhamel in Off the Grid — which also stars María Elisa Camargo, Michael Zapesotsky, Ricky Russert and Michael Papajohn — which opens in select theaters on Friday and is available on Video on Demand.
UPI
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Netflix orders Season 2 of 'Ransom Canyon'
1 of 2 | Josh Duhamel's "Ransom Canyon" has been renewed for a second season. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo June 26 (UPI) -- Netflix announced it has ordered Season 2 of its contemporary western, Ransom Canyon. "Ransom Canyon Season 2? Yee-haw!" Duhamel wrote on Instagram Wednesday. "I couldn't be happier that Netflix is ready to get back in the saddle for Ransom Canyon!" show-runner April Blair said in a press release. "Our dreamy little corner of Texas Hill Country is full of stories still untold, and we can't wait to bring them to our incredible fans. Get ready for another ride." The show is filmed in New Mexico and stars Josh Duhamel, Minka Kelly, James Brolin, Eoin Macken, Lizzy Greene, Andrew Liner, Garrett Wareing, Jack Schumacher, and Marianly Tejada.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Ransom Canyon' Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix
Netflix has greenlit a second season for the modern Western series Ransom Canyon, about three rival ranching families in Texas Hill Country. Josh Duhamel will returns as stoic rancher Staten Kirkland, with Minka Kelly as Quinn O'Grady. 'As the battle to save Ransom wages on, a mysterious cowboy drifts into town, dredging up secrets from the past. Vise tightening, Staten fights to protect the land he calls home — and the only love that can pull him back from the demons that haunt him,' a logline from the series producers states. More from The Hollywood Reporter Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Richard Madden to Star in Netflix Thriller 'Trinity' First Look at Cillian Murphy in Netflix Movie 'Steve,' a Reimagining of Max Porter's Best-Seller 'Shy' Liam Payne Featured in Netflix's 'Building the Band' Trailer The rookie romantic drama, coming the wake of the success of Paramount+'s Yellowstone, made it to the global top 10 TV (English) list for Netflix and reached Top 10 TV in 77 countries. 'I couldn't be happier that Netflix is ready to get back in the saddle for Ransom Canyon! Our dreamy little corner of Texas Hill Country is full of stories still untold, and we can't wait to bring them to our incredible fans. Get ready for another ride,' showrunner, creator and executive producer April Blair said in a statement. Ransom Canyon is based on author Jodi Thomas' book series that debuted in 2015 and is adapted by Blair (All American). Production for the second season of Ransom Canyon will return to the Netflix Studios Albuquerque in New Mexico. The production will again make use of onsite solar power, geothermal heating and cooling and other tools in sun-lit New Mexico to reduce the series' carbon footprint and lower operating costs. The executive producer credits are also shared by Dan Angel and Duhamel. The ensemble cast for the second season includes James Brolin, Eoin Macken, Lizzy Greene, Andrew Liner, Garrett Wareing, Jack Schumacher and Marianly Tejada. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Viewers overjoyed as Netflix renews new show for another season despite VERY negative reviews from critics
Netflix has officially renewed the romantic western drama Ransom Canyon for a second season. The soapy series became a surprise hit for the streamer when it premiered in April, debuting at No. 2 on the weekly Netflix charts. It continued to surge in the following weeks and eventually topped Variety's most-streamed TV list with over 2.6 billion minutes watched. To put its popularity into perspective, the second most-streamed show, Paramount's Mobland, logged 530 million minutes watched. Viewers have been overjoyed by the news of a season two, with many flocking to social media to share their excitement. 'Let's rock and roll baby!' gushed one fan, while another wrote, 'This is what dreams are made of!' A third commented, 'The only good news on the internet today.' 'Season two better have 25 episodes!!!!! I love Lucas and Lauren so much,' wrote another. However, not everybody was impressed with the series, which has suffered from mixed critical reviews despite its success on streaming. 'Josh Duhamel is just not a good actor... Minka Kelly honestly was the only bright spot in the whole show for me,' commented one. 'Ransom Canyon is Heartland, Virgin River and Hallmark. Terrible writing, terrible!' wrote another. Reviewers seemed to dislike season one more than viewers, with headlines calling it 'a try-hard Western' that is a 'far cry from Yellowstone,' and 'goes down easy but leaves a weird aftertaste.' Ransom Canyon stars Josh Duhamel, Minka Kelly, James Brolin, Eoin Macken, Lizzy Greene, Andrew Liner, Marianly Tejada, Garrett Wareing and Jack Schumacher. USA Today gave the series one and a half stars out of four as it said, 'Peek underneath the jean jackets and cowboy hats and you'll find there's very little substance to Canyon.' AV Club said, 'The show's ten episodes are engineered for maximum escapism and bingeability.' Both Duhamel and Kelly have compared their western soap to food. The Win a Date with Tad Hamilton star, called it 'comfort food,' while the Friday Night Lights actress called it 'gooey chocolate cake.' And while many reviews compared Ransom Canyon to Yellowstone and its spin-offs, that wasn't quite on the mark. Netflix was looking to capitalize on the success they've had with romantic dramas Virgin and Sweet Magnolias, this time with some western flair. The series is adapted from the series of books by Jodi Thomas and created by Wednesday writer April Blair. Set in the fictional town of Ransom Canyon, Variety called it 'horny, absurd, and ridiculously entertaining' and 'a sexy, predictable, breezy viewing experience that delivers on its promises.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ransom Canyon Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix
Netflix is lassoing a second season of rodeo drama Ransom Canyon, TVLine has learned. 'I couldn't be happier that Netflix is ready to get back in the saddle for Ransom Canyon,' showrunner April Blair says in a statement. 'Our dreamy little corner of Texas Hill Country is full of stories still untold, and we can't wait to bring them to our incredible fans. Get ready for another ride.' More from TVLine My Life With the Walter Boys Season 2 Lands Summer Release - See First Photos Bet Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix Netflix's Building the Band, Featuring the Late Liam Payne, Is The Voice Meets Love Is Blind - Watch Trailer Set in the world of ranches and rodeos, Ransom Canyon stars Josh Duhamel as a brooding rancher named Staten. Yes, Staten, like the island. But is that a total coincidence, or is it a metaphor for how he isolates himself by pushing away the people who love him? You decide! The show's 10-episode first season, which dropped in April, offered all the trappings of a classic drama — love triangles, power struggles and a heartbreaking murder mystery — against the stunning backdrop of the Texas Hill Country. Ransom Canyon's Season 1 cast also included Minka Kelly as Quinn O'Grady, Eoin Macken as Davis Collins, Lizzy Greene as Lauren Brigman, Garrett Wareing as Lucas Russell, Marianly Tejada as Ellie Estevez, Jack Schumacher as Yancy Grey, Andrew Liner as Reid Collins and James Brolin as Cap Fuller. What are your hopes for Ransom Canyon Season 2? Drop 'em in a comment below. Ransom Canyon: Your Guide to Who's Who in Netflix's Sexy, Soapy Western View List Best of TVLine 'Missing' Shows, Found! Get the Latest on Ahsoka, Monarch, P-Valley, Sugar, Anansi Boys and 25+ Others Yellowjackets Mysteries: An Up-to-Date List of the Series' Biggest Questions (and Answers?) The Emmys' Most Memorable Moments: Laughter, Tears, Historical Wins, 'The Big One' and More
