“The Head Stays In The Box:” Brad Pitt Fighting For Se7en’s Most Iconic Scene Saved The Movie And Made David Fincher's 1995 Thriller A Classic (2024)

In 1995, the crime horror movie, Se7en, shocked audiences with its violent ending, yet this iconic final scene might never have happened if it wasn't for the movie's star, Brad Pitt. David Fincher's movie, Se7en, tells the story of a retired detective and newbie teaming up to solve a string of horrific murders. The men soon discover that the crimes are being committed by a sadistic serial killer who is targeting those he believes represent the seven deadly sins. Close to his tail, the detectives start to realize that this killer may be smarter than they thought possible.

Arguably, Se7en has one of the most shocking endings in recent movie history. Morgan Freeman's Somerset and Brad Pitt's Mills are about to apprehend the serial killer Doe, when Mills receives a disturbing package in a simple cardboard box. The camera never actually shows what's inside the box, but it is implied that it is Mills' wife's head. In a rage, Mills kills Doe. The movie ends with Mills in a catatonic state, having lost his family and killed a man all in the same day. It is a very unhappy ending, to say the least.

Brad Pitt Fought For Se7en’s Original Ending And Helped Save The Movie

Why Pitt Wanted The Dark Ending

In a 2011 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Pitt revealed that he was the one who championed Se7en's brutal ending. According to the actor, he only agreed to star in the movie on the condition that it was the wife's head in the box and that Mills kills Doe at the end. Pitt said, "He doesn’t do the ‘right’ thing, he does the thing of passion." Although members of Se7en's team argued that the ending would be way too heavy, Pitt's opinion clearly won out. As a result, the movie is so much better and more memorable for it.

Se7en's ending is undoubtedly dark, but that doesn't make it inherently bad. Although happy endings often leave viewers with a good feeling after watching a movie, it is integral for some films to end on a bad note. These conclusions may be more painful, but they are often more realistic and relatable. Clearly, Pitt didn't believe that his character, Mills, would be able to do the right thing in that situation. He felt that, in the moment, Mills would act out of passion, not logic. This is arguably more realistic. Plus, it leaves audiences wondering what they would have done.

Se7en Would Not Have Been As Iconic As It Is Today With The Other Ending

Se7en Thrives On Its Twists

It is a relief that Pitt didn't allow Se7en's ending to change because, without it, the movie probably wouldn't have been nearly as successful. On a budget of about $33 million, the movie made a whopping $327 million at the box office. Furthermore, Se7en has a Certified Fresh 83% critics' score and an impressive 95% audience score. Se7en obviously has a lot going for it in terms of a star-studded cast and an iconic director in David Fincher. However, it is Se7en's tone and story that truly make it stand out from any other crime movie of its time.

Se7en is so engaging because of its twisty narrative. From the jump, audiences are trying to figure out what's going on, and why. The central mystery of Doe's murders builds on itself, as viewers see his horrific crime scenes, then see him, then learn what his awful motive is. Every new piece of information feels like a complete surprise, which makes the fate of Mills' wife all the more upsetting. It is the final shock in a long line of them. It's even worse because, over the course of the film, audiences learn to care about Mills, Tracy, and Somerset.

Se7en’s “Happy Ending” Would Have Made The Entire Movie Worse

Se7en's Happy Ending Explained

According to the Entertainment Weekly article, some members of Se7en's crew believed that the ending should be less intense. They felt that rather than having Tracy's head in the box, they should put Mills' dog's head in the box. On top of that, they wanted Mills to choose not to shoot Doe, showing that he is heroic enough to avoid the fate Doe set for him. Both of these changes would have made the ending of Se7en a much happier watch. Then again, it also would have made the movie's ending worse.

If Se7en had killed Mills' dog instead of Tracy, the ending wouldn't have packed nearly the same punch. The stakes would have felt much lower and, although the death of an animal is upsetting, it wouldn't have been the catastrophic loss of losing a wife and unborn child. Furthermore, Mills not shooting Doe would have been a heroic ending, but again, it would have felt anticlimactic. Mills would have been happy but at the cost of the audiences' interest. Therefore, it is better that Se7en has a disturbing yet meaningful ending.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

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9/10

Se7en

R

Thriller

Drama

Crime

Mystery

David Fincher's crime thriller Se7en follows the seasoned Detective William Somerset after he is assigned a new partner, the young and idealistic David Mills (Brad Pitt). The two find themselves investigating a deranged killer staging murders inspired by each of the seven deadly sins. On the hunt for the twisted John Doe (Kevin Spacey) before he can kill again, the two detectives soon discover that they're much deeper into the case than they realized.

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Director

David Fincher

Release Date

September 22, 1995

Writers

andrew kevin walker

Cast

Brad Pitt , Gwyneth Paltrow , John C. McGinley , Morgan Freeman , Kevin Spacey

Runtime

127 minutes