zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

Hit the AP and topped 153 Google News Searches when I last looked at it yesterday. I don't know that it's merely "anti-Craig," so much as it's also pro-Brosnan. And w/out ever dealing w/ that fire, news from the set is almost exclusively bad.

1. Craig steps off boat for press conference setup terrified of the water.
2. Craig makes statement about fear of guns.
3. Craig in high conflict w/ director.
4. Producers can't find leading lady for weeks after production starts.
5. Craig has two front teeth knocked out during first major fight scene.

Yeah, things happen. But the ONLY time a popular Bond was replaced was when George Lazenby came in after Sean Connery. And Connery wanted out, yet Lazenby failed. Second icon Roger Moore stepped down, was very vocally behind Timothy Dalton, and Dalton failed. Yet w/out any of this momentum, EON / Danjac actively spit on Pierce Brosnan, and they wonder why someone takes their frustration public.

Funny how it goes when you dis your customers....

From our own interests, let me ask you all this. You've seen the early "Casino Royale" publicity image of Daniel Craig, in the tuxedo, gun drawn. In wider crops, I'm sure you've noticed that he's wearing a watch on a strap (composition goes out of its way to use his left hand to steady his right). Depending on the exposure of the shot you're looking at, you can almost identify the watch.

Well -- the watch has actually been confirmed from the set as a black Planet Ocean on rubber strap. This from inside the production team, person who had the watch, just needed a bit of insider advice on how to contact Omega w/ a serial number to know what to call it (don't get me started on how ANYONE could not immediately know a present-day Omega model by sight - I mean, what sort of other priorities could be distracting them from something that important?).

At the same photo shoot, images were taken of Craig in casino settings, not unlike what Omega used to promote its various Bond offerings.

Although no one was in a position to designate a Bond watch months ago when those pictures were taken, "powers that be" were on hand to make sure that if there was any possibility the watch could be idenfied, ever, that it would absolutely be an Omega. Planet Ocean was chosen as the "placeholder" because it was common, and because it approximated the Rolex 6538, 6536 Submariner look that was being anticipated at the time.

Yet despite these casino and other non-gun images of Craig as Bond - which easily could be cropped to remove the watch if Omega was not at liberty to show it - Omega persists in using the Pierce Brosnan images it retains the rights to as part of its Bond contract.

Why--?

I think there are a lot of folks worried about the money they're investing in the new Bond film, and a lot more doors than you'd expect for something like this being kept open.

As for me, I'm still behind the prediction I made on Chronocentric last fall:

True Lies 2: Starring Pierce Brosnan?: Link to my pitch