See Val Kilmer brought back to life by AI in extended clip from posthumous film
See Val Kilmer brought back to life by AI in extended clip from posthumous film
Marina WattsWed, August 19, 2026 at 9:47 PM UTC
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Val Kilmer in ‘As Deep as the Grave’Credit: FirstLineFilms/YouTubeKey Points -
The first look of an AI-generated Val Kilmer is here, with the late actor starring in the posthumous film As Deep as the Grave.
Kilmer was originally cast in the film before his death, but the shooting schedule was delayed due to the pandemic and his diagnosis with throat cancer.
As Deep as the Grave has yet to announce a release date.
Val Kilmer has been resurrected in the upcoming film As Deep as the Grave.
The actor, who died in 2025 of pneumonia at 65, has returned to the silver screen, thanks to AI technology. The seven-minute footage released on Aug. 19 shows a young Kilmer as a Catholic priest conflicted with the mission of founding a new church while respecting the Navajo people and their culture.
Per IndieWire, Kilmer is expected to appear in a third of the screen time for the film, which is currently set at a 3-hour runtime. Kilmer was cast in the film prior to his death, though the shooting schedule was delayed due to the pandemic and his diagnosis with throat cancer.
Val Kilmer in ‘As Deep as the Grave’Credit: FirstLineFilms/YouTube
The late actor’s estate granted writer-director Coerte Voorhees permission to use Kilmer’s likeness for the film. The production adhered to SAG guidelines and compensated Kilmer’s estate for the AI appearance.
To bring Kilmer back to life, old images from his family archive and later footage of the “Top Gun” star have been used, along with recordings of his voice from before he underwent a tracheotomy, which affected his vocal cords.
AI Kilmer’s appearance resembles his likeness during his 90s film run, with the director having studied Batman Forever, Tombstone, and Heat, according to IndieWire.
Voorhees told Variety how passionate Kilmer was about the film. “He really thought it was an important story that he wanted his name on. It was that support that gave me the confidence to say, ‘Okay let’s do this.’ Despite the fact some people might call it controversial, this is what Val wanted.”
His daughter Mercedes also spoke out in favor of the film in a statement shared with Varietyin March. “My father was a deeply spiritual man and this story of discovery and enlightenment in the American Southwest and his unique role in it really resonated with him,” she said at the time.
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“He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling,” Mercedes added. “This spirit is something that we are all honoring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part.”
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A month later, she appeared on Todayexplaining that using the technology originally provided a way for Kilmer to “overcome the limitation of his illness” and “evolved into something that he really was like, ‘Oh, wait. I have a chance to actually set a precedent.’”
Mercedes noted that “people that maybe have a more precarious position in the industry and are worried and see AI as a threat — which is absolutely valid.”
Later, she argued that “we have to contend with this technology one way or the other. And avoiding it, it’s not necessarily the way. It’s much easier to structure the rights if you proactively license something.”
Val Kilmer in ‘As Deep as the Grave’Credit: FirstLineFilms/YouTube
“We do love people from the past, and we want to stay connected to them,” the director’s brother and co-producer, John Voorhees, told IndieWire. “But it has to be done with consent and compensation. It has to be done right.”
Joining Kilmer in this film are Abigail Lawrie, Tom Felton, Wes Studi, and Abigail Breslin.
As Deep as the Grave has yet to announce a release date. Watch Val Kilmer in As Deep as the Grave below.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
