The Contents of The Box in Seven Have Finally Been Revealed

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Summary

  • David Fincher revealed the real contents of the box from Seven, shutting down long-held rumors.
  • The box did not hold a prosthetic head although Fincher calculated the weight for authenticity.
  • Pitt fought for the darker ending in Seven, as the studio wanted a lighter version.

30 years ago, David Fincher’s gripping masterpiece Seven graced our screens, and as we approach its anniversary in 2025, the masterful filmmaker himself has finally disclosed the secret of what truly lay within the sinister box during filming. As a devoted cinephile, I can’t wait to unravel this long-held mystery!

1995’s “Se7en,” starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, is an influential crime thriller featuring the duo as two unconventional detectives tracking a ruthless serial killer who murders victims based on the seven deadly sins. This film was a box office sensation 30 years ago and has continued to impress audiences over time, solidifying its place among the greatest crime films and David Fincher’s most memorable creations. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Fincher oversaw a 4K restoration of “Se7en,” which is now available in theaters.

This article contains spoilers for the plot and ending of Seven.

What’s In The Box (Really)?

With the return of the movie “Seven”, director David Fincher shared thoughts on the production and disclosed hidden facts. He particularly discussed the mystery surrounding the contents of the box in the final scene. While those who have watched the film know that the box contains Tracy’s head within the storyline (spoiler alert: Tracy’s head), there has been a persistent rumor about “Seven” claiming that the box actually contained a real prosthetic head of Gwyneth Paltrow, even though it was never visibly displayed on-screen.

Fincher cleared up this false claim, explaining to Entertainment Weekly that the story was utterly absurd. Interestingly, he did share that considerable effort was put into determining the weight of the box. “I believe it was a prop bag and a wig,” Fincher disclosed, adding that there may have been a small amount of stage blood in the wig.

Of course not! The idea was preposterous. We had approximately a seven- or eight-pound bag, and we calculated how much of that would correspond to Gwyneth Paltrow’s head if her BMI was X. This helped us estimate the weight. In addition, we placed a wig inside the bag, so when Morgan Freeman opened it, some tape used to seal the box might come loose. I believe the bag contained both the wig and a bit of bloodied hair. You must remember that Morgan opened around 16 or 17 bags. However, as I often emphasize, you don’t need to know what’s inside the box if you have Morgan Freeman.

The Ending of Seven Was Almost Very Different

David Fincher struggled to maintain the intense final scene of “Seven” where John Doe sends a box containing his wife’s severed head to Detective Mills, leading Mills to shoot Doe in response. Originally, the studio wanted Mills portrayed as more heroic by not shooting Doe and suggested replacing the wife’s head with one of Mills’ dogs. However, Brad Pitt stood firm on preserving the darker ending, telling Entertainment Weekly he was prepared to leave the film unless the original scene remained intact. Pitt explained, “Mills has to shoot the killer at the end. He doesn’t do the ‘right’ thing, but rather, he acts out of passion.

In the final analysis, it proved to be a struggle worth undertaking since Seven turned out to captivate and astound viewers with its unexpected turns and unique atmosphere, earning recognition as one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made.

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2025-01-06 16:29