Solace: The Forgotten Seven Sequel That Released in 2015

The 2015 serial killer thriller Solace is a cinematic footnote with a peculiar origin story. It was conceived as a direct sequel to the classic 1995 film Seven before a long development process led to its release as a standalone film starring Anthony Hopkins. The movie ultimately earned around $22 million at the global box office.

Screenwriters Sean Bailey and Ted Griffin began work on the script in 1996, directly inspired by David Fincher's hit. "This was way back in 1996, so Se7en had just come out and was (and is) a conspicuous influence on the script," Griffin told Bloody Disgusting. Their story followed an FBI agent and a psychic hunting a killer targeting seemingly random victims. By 1998, the script had been sold to Fox 2000 for a reported six-figure sum.

A Short-Lived Sequel Plan

The project took a strange turn in 2001 when the rights moved to New Line Cinema, the studio behind Seven. For a brief period, executives planned to retrofit the script into a direct sequel. Griffin confirmed there were discussions about rewriting the FBI agent character, Joe Merriwether, to become Morgan Freeman's Detective Somerset from the original film. The sequel was even rumored to be titled Ei8ht. This plan was quickly abandoned. Griffin suggested a rumor that David Fincher talked Morgan Freeman out of the project, but noted the director never confirmed it to him.

A Resilient Yet Troubled Production

Despite the failed sequel idea, the Solace screenplay persisted in Hollywood for years. Directors like Paul Verhoeven and Tarsem Singh were reportedly attached at different times. Bruce Willis was once set to play the psychic, Dr. John Clancy. The film finally entered production in 2013 under Brazilian director Afonso Poyart.

By the time it released in 2015, audience interest in cinematic serial killer tales had waned. The film's flat, digital visual style also made it resemble a direct-to-streaming title, despite its theatrical intent. Anthony Hopkins ultimately took the role of psychic Dr. John Clancy, which required significant character changes from the original spec script where Clancy was a widower in his 30s. The reworked version made him a retired professional grieving his daughter's death.

Further alterations from the 1998 script included a race switch for the FBI agent. Originally written as a 40-something African American, the part went to Jeffrey Dean Morgan. This change necessitated the removal of race-related dialogue from later drafts. Abbie Cornish co-starred as criminal psychologist Dr. Katherine Cowles, with Colin Farrell appearing as the killer, Ambrose.

Echoes of Seven in Execution

The final plot remained remarkably close to the original draft. A psychic and an FBI agent hunt a killer who murders victims with a surgical knife and leaves taunting notes. The central question becomes whether the killer also possesses psychic abilities. Poyart's direction added violent, vision-heavy sequences to illustrate Clancy's premonitions, borrowing stylistically from films like Next.

What remains glaring is the story's similarity to Seven. The dynamic between the hunter and the killer, the elaborate crime scenes, and the byzantine schemes all echo Fincher's film. This only highlights the difference in directorial execution. Where Seven cultivated profound dread, Solace lacked that oppressive atmosphere. The actors, including Hopkins and Morgan, seem aware they are in a minor film, performing with a casual or frustrated air. Solace now lingers primarily on streaming platforms like Prime Video as a curious artifact of what might have been a high-profile sequel.