HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / MOVIES

‘Se7en’ director David Fincher finally reveals what was in the box — it even traumatized Brad Pitt

'Se7en' director, David Fincher, recently reflected on the legacy of the classic thriller as the film marked its 30th anniversary.

Se7en director, David Fincher, recently reflected on the legacy of the classic thriller as the film marked its 30th anniversary. Amid the celebrations, Fincher finally answered the question that has been bothering audiences since its 1995 release: What was actually in the box that Detective Somerset opened in the film's unforgettable conclusion? 

In the movie, Brad Pitt's character David Mills learns the terrible truth that John Doe, a serial killer, sent him the severed head of his wife played by Paltrow. In a recent interview, the presenter brought up a long-running rumor that Fincher had put a prosthetic head of Paltrow in the box. In response, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, Fincher clarified, "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."

He added, "We did [however] 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." Fincher continued, "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."

Se7en, a classic in its genre, helped launch Fincher and Pitt. The movie cemented Fincher's status as a visionary director and set the stage for his subsequent critically praised works— Fight Club, Gone Girl, and Zodiac, to name a few.

During the interview, the director stressed that, even after thirty years, he would not change a single thing in Se7en. As reported by Fandom Wire, Fincher explained that since it's not always possible to capture everything, a director's job is to concentrate on what matters the most. He underlined the significance of figuring out what the text's core ideas are and adhering to them. The film is set to re-release with a restored print. Reflecting on the same, Fincher who oversaw the 8K restoration, claimed he tried to bring it up to the standards of the 1995 release print.

Se7en is a dark and gripping tale about two detectives trying to track down a desperate serial killer. Ever since the movie's release, audiences have been fascinated by it. The actors, Kevin Spacey, Paltrow, Freeman, and Pitt, were brilliantly cast, bringing their respective characters to life.