AI version of Val Kilmer stars in new movie with his family’s blessing

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Okay, so this is wild. Val Kilmer passed away back in April 2025, which was really sad. But get this – he’s in the new movie, ‘As Deep as the Grave’! They didn’t film anything with him after he died, but they used some crazy AI tech to basically bring him back to life on screen. It’s a little weird, honestly, but it’s definitely a talking point for the film.

This isn’t the first time artificial intelligence has been used to bring Val Kilmer’s performance to life. Back in 2022, he collaborated with the technology company Sonantic to create an AI version of his voice for Top Gun: Maverick, allowing him to sound like he’s speaking directly in the movie.

Despite being alive during filming, Val Kilmer had lost his voice due to a throat cancer diagnosis in 2015 and the treatments that followed. He eventually overcame the cancer, but sadly passed away from pneumonia on April 1, 2025.

Five years ago, Val Kilmer, known for his role in Batman Forever, was originally cast as Father Fintan, a priest with Native American spiritual beliefs, in the film As Deep as the Grave. Although Kilmer wasn’t able to film the role, he’ll appear in the movie through the use of artificial intelligence, playing a key part in the story.

Val Kilmer stars in new movie thanks to AI 

According to Variety, the new movie uses cutting-edge AI to realistically show Val Kilmer as he appeared at different ages. The filmmakers worked closely with Kilmer’s family and daughter, Mercedes, to achieve this.

Val Kilmer appears in the new film ‘As Deep as the Grave’ thanks to artificial intelligence. Kilmer signed on to the project in 2015, but his battle with throat cancer prevented him from filming. With his daughter’s permission, filmmakers used an AI version of him to complete the role.

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 18, 2026

Coerte Voorhees, the writer and director of As Deep as the Grave, believes no other actor could have taken on the role.

The role was specifically created with this actor in mind, taking into account his Native American background and his deep connection to the Southwest, according to Voorhees.

We had an actor scheduled to film recently, but unfortunately, he was dealing with a serious health issue and wasn’t able to participate.

Director Nimród Antal, along with Mercedes, mentioned that Val Kilmer’s son, Jack, also supports his father being involved in the film. Antal explained that the Kilmer family repeatedly emphasized the importance of the movie and Val’s strong desire to participate.

He believed this was a significant story and wanted to be publicly associated with it. His backing gave me the courage to move forward, because ultimately, this was what Val had hoped for, even if others disagreed with it.

The upcoming film, formerly known as Canyon of the Dead, is based on the real-life story of archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris. It follows their work in Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly, where they investigated the history of the Navajo people.

Abigail Lawrie acts with Tom Felton, alongside Wes Studi and Abigail Breslin. Val Kilmer’s part in the film is portrayed using a blend of photos and video from different stages of his life.

This technique lets the character be shown at various ages, and the AI-generated voice for Kilmer helps with that. Producer John Voorhees, brother of the director, also mentioned that the character has tuberculosis in the film.

It’s crazy, but this character’s storyline really hit home for me because it mirrored what the actor, Val, was actually going through with his throat cancer. It gave the voice acting a really unique layer – it wasn’t just a performance, it felt like a direct connection to his real-life struggle, almost like the character and the actor were blending together. It created this really powerful link, you know?

Coerte explained that unlike larger productions which could simply replace the actor, ‘As Deep as the Grave’ is a small, independent film that had already been significantly delayed by the pandemic.

Because we weren’t working with a major studio’s resources, we had to get creative with how we made the film. Fortunately, the necessary technology was available to us, he explained.

I know there’s a lot of debate about using AI in creative fields, but the filmmakers really wanted to show how it can be done the right way with their movie. They made sure to follow the rules set by the actors’ union, SAG, and importantly, they paid the estate of Val Kilmer for his digital recreation, which I think is a really important ethical step.

In a statement to Variety, Mercedes Kilmer explained that he consistently embraced new technologies as ways to enhance storytelling. She said this hopeful approach is being reflected in his final film, where he played a key role.

Recent news has sparked a new discussion about the use of artificial intelligence. One person expressed concern on X, saying that while it’s understandable the family agreed, using AI to recreate an actor’s performance could set a worrying precedent for the film industry.

It was really touching to see the Academy use a clip from ‘Batman Forever’ during tonight’s #Oscars in memoriam for Val Kilmer.

— Epic Film Guys ® (@EpicFilmGuys) March 16, 2026

One person commented that recreating Val Kilmer with AI felt risky and potentially unethical, even though his family supported it. They questioned whether this technology should be used in movies, raising concerns about how it impacts an actor’s legacy and the issue of consent.

One person questioned the decision, suggesting they could have simply hired a new actor instead of using artificial intelligence. They felt AI shouldn’t be used that way in filmmaking. Another commenter found the idea of AI recreating actors to be both surprising and strangely moving.

As of right now, we don’t know when “As Deep as the Grave” will be released. While you wait, you can read about the discussions around AI and its use in films and shows like “Megalopolis,” “Late Night With the Devil,” “Thunderbolts,” “True Detective,” “One Piece,” and projects involving Darren Aronofsky and Tilly Norwood.

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2026-03-18 19:21