“We thank the bad experience prior.” Seven owes its ending to Brad Pitt’s disappointing experience with another movie

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Brad Pitt, mindful of past misfortunes, ensured that the film’s final version would align with his initial agreement and not experience significant alterations during production. In other words, before putting his signature on the contract for Seven, he ensured it was clearly stated that the ending must remain unchanged.

When the idea arose that perhaps the contents of the box in Seven’s ending should be altered, Pitt pointed out his contractual obligations. He held steadfast to the startling conclusion, a move that proved wise as it continues to stir debates even today, possibly not having had such an impact if it had been otherwise.

He talked about how he fought to end Seven during an interview with Jake’s Takes.

When I agreed to work on the film, I made it clear that the original ending must remain unchanged. I had this provision included in my contract due to past experiences where controversial elements got removed. For me, the appeal of movies lies in their originality, so I stood firm when there was a suggestion to change the ending by placing the dogs’ heads in a box. I drew on my previous negative experience to make this decision.

It’s possible that the movie leading him to include a specific clause in his contract was “Legends of the Fall”, which was released a year prior to “Seven”. According to reports, Brad Pitt had disagreements with the director during that production, allegedly dissatisfied with the final cut. He disliked it so strongly that he considered leaving the project, but ultimately saw it through (as reported by People).

Edward Zwick admitted that Pitt did not like how his character was ultimately portrayed.

When I presented the completed movie to Brad, he didn’t seem satisfied. He believed that I hadn’t emphasized his character’s madness adequately. In truth, I had removed just one clip from a scene where Tristan was furiously ill, shouting as the waves hit him on the ship. It was a shot he held dear, and I should have kept it in. My apologies, Brad.

Brad wasn’t thrilled with the final movie I showed him. He felt that his character’s madness had not been adequately portrayed. In reality, I had only deleted a single shot from the scene where Tristan was delirious with fever, yelling as the waves crashed around him on the ship. This was a clip he cherished, and it would have made little difference to include it, but I should have. My bad, Brad.

In the movie “Seven,” Brad Pitt wasn’t required to deal with a comparable scenario where he aimed to control the outcomes. Instead, he didn’t dictate his specific vision for the film, but simply wanted it to remain true to what he initially agreed upon.

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2025-06-23 12:02