It Took 30 Years, But David Fincher Finally Revealed What Was in the Box in His Masterpiece ‘Se7en’
David Fincher, the director of Se7en, has cleared up one of the biggest rumors about the movie’s shocking ending. The 1995 thriller, starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kevin Spacey, follows two detectives chasing a serial killer who commits murders based on the seven deadly sins.
The ending, where a box is delivered containing something horrifying, left audiences stunned and has been the subject of speculation for years.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Fincher addressed the long-standing rumor that a prosthetic head of Paltrow was made for the scene. He dismissed the idea, saying it wasn’t necessary to show the contents of the box:
No, it’s entirely ridiculous. I think we had a seven- or eight-pound shot bag. We had done the research to figure out, if Gwyneth Paltrow’s body mass index was X, what portion of that would be attributable to her head. And so we had an idea of what that would weigh, and I think there was a weight in it.
And we did put a wig in there, so that when Morgan rips the box open if there were some of this tape that was used to seal the box — I think it was a shot bag and a wig, and I think the wig had a little bit of blood in it, so some of the hair would stick together. Remember, I think Morgan opened 16 or 17 of those things. But as I always say, you don’t need to see what’s in the box if you have Morgan Freeman.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
The ending reveals that Kevin Spacey’s character, John Doe, had a twisted plan involving Pitt’s character, Mills, and his wife, Tracey. Tracey’s murder represented the sin of envy, and Mills’s reaction—killing John Doe in a fit of rage—completed the cycle with the sin of wrath.
Fincher’s decision not to show Tracey’s head makes sense. The horror is more effective when left to the imagination. Pitt and Freeman’s expressions conveyed the devastation without needing graphic visuals. Fincher’s thoughtful approach keeps the focus on the emotional impact, making the scene unforgettable.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!
