"What’s in the Contract?" Brad Pitt’s Remarkable Se7en Move

One of the most famous scenes in 90s cinema nearly didn't happen.

Hand-drawn ink sketch of a sealed cardboard box in three-quarter view, shaded with textured lines on a transparent background.
Living with a wife in the age of Amazon deliveries, "What's in the box?" is something I find myself crying out on a daily basis. But today I learned that iconic scene from 90s cinema almost never happened. The Hollywood execs wanted to give Se7en a more agreeable ending, one where Brad Pitt's dog was in the box and he doesn't shoot Kevin Spacey. Fortunately, however, Pitt's integrity exceeds his talent.*

Sealing It In

Having been disappointed when the studio cut his favourite scene from Legends of the Fall after it upset test audiences, Pitt agreed to star in Se7en on the condition that it was his character's wife's head in the box and that he would shoot John Doe at the end. To make sure this couldn't be changed, he had it put in his contract. It turned out to be the right move, as the studio wanted to change it after testing.

Would It Happen Today?

I like some superhero slop from time to time, and if you ask me, I'll probably tell you that I'd rather leave the cinema happy than sad. But I believe there's a place for challenging movies besides independent cinemas and film festivals. Are any of today's up-and-coming stars pulling moves like Brad Pitt did here to protect them? Maybe it's just me, but it doesn't feel like it.


*Full disclaimer: I actually love many of his movies. But, come on. You'd be hard-pressed to call him great.

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