Se7en is widely regarded as one of the darkest and most unforgettable crime thrillers ever made, but its iconic ending almost never happened.

Coming off the disastrous production of Alien 3, Fincher was a director with everything to lose. Yet when he read Andrew Kevin Walker’s original script for Se7en, he immediately recognized the power of its nihilistic conclusion. Studio executives pushed for safer alternatives, but Fincher knew the story of Detectives Mills and Somerset only worked if it fully committed to its brutal themes of sin, fate, and human weakness.

From studio interference to alternate endings that would have completely changed the film’s legacy, one risky creative decision saved Se7en from becoming just another forgotten thriller.

Sometimes, all it takes is one filmmaker willing to stand their ground to create a masterpiece.