10 Best Opening Credits Sequences In Movie History

by Danny Meegan

1. Se7en

Se7en is usually a film that's remembered for one key moment toward the end, but there's an argument to be made that an even better moment came within the opening few minutes. Using a combination of gruesome imagery and an eerie electronic score, the opening credits run you through the disturbing preparations of the deranged serial killer who's responsible for the movie's seven killings.

And that makes you feel uncomfortable, like you're watching something you shouldn't - you'll almost feel like an asset to the upcoming murders, like you helped the killer get ready for them. It's an incredibly effective opening, and because of this, the style in which it was put together has been used in dozens and dozens of movies and TV shows, including the BBC's Sherlock and American Horror Story.

It's influential, gritty and disturbing, and it isn't afraid to show you the gory details (did he just shave off his fingerprints!?). Se7en carried this torch all the way from its opening credits sequence right through to its final few seconds, and while the end twist is the more famous moment, it's impossible to forget the scene that started the ride.

What's your favourite opening credits sequence of all time? Share your pick down in the comments!

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Danny has been with WhatCulture for over ten years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. In 2022, he took charge of WhoCulture and has grown it into the biggest Doctor Who channel on YouTube, and one of the biggest Doctor Who communities on the web full-stop. He has been writing and video editing since his early teens, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers, off the back of a burning obsession with the Matt Smith era of the show. Like many his age, he first got into Doctor Who with the 2005 revival, but has since gone back and fallen in love with the classic years too. If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order, or to give you a random factoid about the making of Gridlock, Danny is the person to ask!