Did Omega Just Confirm the Identity of the Next James Bond?
Joining Omega's ranks as the brand's newest ambassador, this British actor instantly becomes a frontrunner to succeed Daniel Craig as 007.
Omega introduced its newest brand ambassador on May 22, and the actor chosen for the position suggests one massive speculation.
Did Omega just leak the identity of the next actor to play James Bond?
British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a perfect fit to represent Omega. He is ruggedly handsome, on the verge of becoming an A-List celebrity and looks damn good in a suit.
All those attributes, combined with his nationality, also make him an ideal fit for another iconic role—Agent 007.
I must say that I'm approaching this theory with skepticism because many actors have been floated as the next Bond since Daniel Craig decided to hang up his PP7 after 2021's No Time to Die, including some household names like Idris Elba and Henry Cavill.
However, Taylor-Johnson checks more boxes than any previous candidate, and the timing of Omega's announcement is almost too perfect for a coincidence.
Historically, Bond has been portrayed by actors with minimal notoriety going into the role. Sean Connery was a little-known Scottish film actor before establishing the template for Ian Flemming's secret agent on film.
Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan were best known for TV roles prior to serving in Her Majesty's Secret Service. Bond made them all household names.
Craig fits the same pattern, having been an obscure indie-film and stage actor before redefining the role for the twenty-first century.
Taylor-Johnson broke through as a young man in 2010's Kick-Ass and has maintained that recognizable-but-not-by-name actor status ever since. An upcoming starring role in 28 Years Later may change that.
Taylor-Johnson has had his fair share of action roles, starting with Kick-Ass and more recently in The Fall Guy, and he is sure to see plenty of combat in 28 Years Later, which is a strong qualifier for Bond.
At the same time, roles in 2024's Nosferatu and 2021's The King's Men demonstrated that he looks good in a suit, which is necessary for any actor hoping to portray Bond.
The wheels have already started turning on production for the next Bond film franchise reboot under MGM's new ownership, which means that the titular character must be cast soon… or perhaps already is.
Omega has been in the Bond Family since Pierce Brosnan's stint began in 1996's Goldeneye. The Swiss watchmaker is retaining its position in Q Branch for the upcoming era and would surly have inside information if a casting decision has been made.
Omega's preferred marketing strategy has been not-so-subtle, clearly orchestrating ' leaks' regarding watch releases, often with the involvement of the former Mr.Bond himself and always to great effect.
Given all of the elements at play here, Omega's choice of Taylor-Joy as its new ambassador feels a bit too coincidental.
At least he wore a Speedmaster First Omega in Space, instead of a Seamaster, to throw everyone off the scent.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
17 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Tom Cruise's Final ‘Mission Impossible' Tops China Box Office
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning posted the biggest opening for a US film in the country this year, defying trade and geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing. Paramount Global 's eighth installment in the action franchise earned $25.2 million across 11,847 locations in China during the opening weekend, the studio said in a statement. The film is likely to become the top-performing US release in the country for 2025, with Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. 's A Minecraft Movie so far holding the lead with about $29 million since its April 4 debut, according to ticketing platform Maoyan.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Could Trump pardon Diddy and end his trial?
Sean "Diddy" Combs is being tried in a New York courtroom for racketeering and sexual trafficking. Could that daily drama vanish instantly if President Donald Trump pardoned the embattled rapper? "Yes, it could," says Brian Kalt, law professor at Michigan State University College of Law, who focuses on legal issues and the presidency. According to Kalt, Trump — who appears to be in the middle of a pardoning spree — would be within his presidential rights to extend a preemptive pardon to fellow New Yorker Combs, who has been described by witnesses so far as violent and abusive. "These are federal charges (against Combs), so that's the main limit. The matter has be federal, it has to be criminal vs. civil, and related to something that's already been done," says Kalt. "But the person doesn't have to even be charged yet, or convicted. The Supreme Court has said preemptive pardons are OK." Trump weighed in on the possibility Friday, May 30, in the Oval Office. "Nobody's asked" about a pardon, the president said. "But I know people are thinking about it. I know they're thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking." Trump added, "I haven't spoken to him in years. He really liked me a lot." 'Nobody's asked': President Trump doesn't rule out pardoning Sean 'Diddy' Combs Typically, one of the last gestures from an outgoing president is a pardon. In President Joe Biden's final days in office, he famously pardoned his son, Hunter, convicted of federal gun felonies and federal tax charges. At the end of Trump's first term, he granted clemency to political allies such as Roger Stone, found guilty of obstructing a congressional investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and related offenses. But pardons can take place during a president's term, says Kalt. The right was established in Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which among other things gives the president "power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." Kalt says the power to pardon is derived from the British monarch's historic right and stems from a recognition that criminal law was often too harsh, and it was important to have a safety valve. "The president was the best person to be that safety valve because of his political accountability," he says. But that's where things get murky, he adds, noting that Republican lawmakers "don't appear willing to hold the president accountable" for granting pardons, meaning they aren't costing him in terms of political capital. In contrast, President Gerald Ford's controversial pardoning of disgraced President Richard Nixon was perceived so negatively "that it probably cost Ford re-election in 1976," Kalt says. In just over 100 days since taking office, Trump has issued pardons to a broad range of personalities. They include Todd and Julie Chrisley, stars of the reality show "Chrisley Knows Best," who were convicted in 2022 of swindling $36 million from Atlanta banks and being tax evaders, and rapper NBA YoungBoy, who in 2024 was sentenced to two years in prison for weapons possession. He also pardoned former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, convicted of wire fraud and extortion, and Jan. 6 participant and "Bob's Burgers" actor Jay Johnston. The reason many presidents issue pardons at the end of their terms is precisely to avoid political fallout, says Kalt. In that sense, Trump's brash approach suggests he has no concerns about such ramifications. "I don't agree with these pardons on their merits, but the fact that he did them when he is politically accountable as opposed to slinking out the door does add some legitimacy to them in that sense," he says. "With pardons, you don't need Congress, you wave your magic wand and it happens. You can see the appeal for a president, particularly one like Trump." One can also see the appeal for those such as Combs, whose ordeal could end instantly should Trump's pardon "wand" wave his way. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Trump pardon Diddy? Trial could end, experts say
Digital Trends
3 hours ago
- Digital Trends
20 iPhones elevate Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later scene
We already know that the iPhone is a versatile piece of kit with a powerful camera capable of capturing highly impressive video. That quality, coupled with the phone's small size compared to conventional movie cameras, has been inspiring a growing number of filmmakers to use Apple's handset for at least some of the shots in their grand productions. Recommended Videos Take Danny Boyle, the British director behind the 28 horror trilogy about a deadly virus outbreak and its aftermath. For the most recent installment, 28 Years Later, Boyle used a range of cameras, including three special rigs kitted out with iPhones. One had eight iPhones and could be easily carried by one person, another had 10 iPhones attached, and the largest had 20. 'There's an incredible shot in the second half [of the film] where we use the [20-camera rig], and you'll know it when you see it,' Boyle told IGN in a recent interview. 'It's quite graphic but it's a wonderful shot that uses that technique, and in a startling way that kind of kicks you into a new world rather than thinking you've seen it before.' The acclaimed director likens the 20-camera rig to 'basically a poor man's bullet time,' a reference to the classic bullet-dodging scene in The Matrix where time appears to slow down. 'It gives you 180 degrees of vision of an action, and in the editing you can select any choice from it, either a conventional one-camera perspective or make your way instantly around reality, time-slicing the subject, jumping forward or backward for emphasis,' Boyle said, adding that as 28 Years Later is a horror movie, 'we use it for the violent scenes to emphasize their impact.' The director said he also likes the rig because 'for a moment, the audience is inside the scene, the action, rather than classically observing a picture.' 28 Years Later hits screens on June 20, allowing fans to dive back into the chaos, while also discovering Boyle's skill at deploying the iPhone as a moviemaking tool.
