What’s In The Box In Se7en, According To Director David Fincher

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Among crime thrillers, few endings are as impactful as that of “Se7en.” Directed by David Fincher, this detective drama is particularly recognized for a chilling scene where Detective William Somerset (played by Morgan Freeman) uncovers the grisly truth: the head of his partner’s pregnant wife, Tracy Mills (Gwyneth Paltrow), was delivered to them by the depraved John Doe (Kevin Spacey). This grim moment serves as a turning point for the serial killer, as he manipulates David Mills (portrayed by Brad Pitt) psychologically, pushing him towards anger and completing his dark message.

Well, as a curious gamer peering into the mystery, I’ve got to say, that box Morgan Freeman opened? Just a wig and some weights according to Fincher. Quite an anticlimactic reveal, wasn’t it?

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly regarding the remastering of “Se7en” after 30 years, the director debunked the persistent online rumor that the head used for Gwyneth Paltrow in “Contagion” was initially made for his 1995 movie. Fincher clarified, “It’s completely preposterous. We had a seven- or eight-pound prop bag,” he said, explaining they calculated Paltrow’s head weight. He further described it as a prop bag and a wig with some blood-soaked hair sticking together. The director reminisced about Freeman during filming, mentioning that due to his acting prowess, the actual appearance of the severed head was inconsequential.

Brad Pitt wouldn’t do Se7en without the box scene

The scene involving the severed head in “Se7en” was almost eliminated due to studio concerns. Initially, they thought it was too gruesome and planned to remove it entirely. However, after losing a significant moment from his previous film, “Legends of the Fall,” Brad Pitt fiercely defended this ending. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2011, he stated, “For ‘Se7en,’ I said, ‘I’ll do it under one condition: the head stays in the box.’ I even had it written into my contract that the head would remain in the box.

In the game development, they aimed to portray David Mills as more of a hero by not having him shoot John Doe after the incident. However, I pushed back on that idea too. I said, “The protagonist has to pull the trigger in the end, it’s not about doing what’s right, but about acting on passion.

It turns out that David Fincher was correct in choosing that ending for “Se7en,” as it was crucial to his decision to direct the film. In fact, he only agreed to take on the project after reading an early draft of Andrew Kevin Walker’s screenplay. The film’s final scene, which is both visceral and harrowing, is what makes “Se7en” truly powerful. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman deliver career-defining performances, even without showing Tracy’s actual head in the box. Instead, the emotional response of Somerset and Mills to the horrors they’ve encountered, leading them into a deeper and more personal form of torment, leaves audiences with a sense of shock and reminds us of humanity’s capacity for depravity. This is likely why “Se7en” never had a sequel – there simply wasn’t anything more that could be said after such an impactful ending.

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2025-04-13 19:31