In what feels like the next inevitable step—and potential breaking point—for Hollywood’s AI experiment, Val Kilmer is set to appear in a new film years after his death. There is some legitimacy to this casting, as the late actor’s family has approved the project.
Titled “As Deep as the Grave,” the film originally cast Kilmer in a supporting role before he passed away in 2025. Filmmakers are now completing his performance using generative AI, effectively reconstructing the actor’s presence on screen.
Variety has shared a first-look image from the film, featuring Kilmer, eyes staring into the void, unmistakably an AI creation. Abigail Lawrie (Tin Star) stars opposite Tom Felton (Harry Potter), with a supporting cast that includes Wes Studi and Abigail Breslin.
The indie film follows Southwestern archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris and their efforts to trace the history of the Navajo people. Its release was delayed for five years due to factors including the pandemic and Kilmer’s illness. Due to budget constraints, the filmmaker initially chose to remove the Father Fintan scenes but later reversed this decision upon recognizing his crucial role in the story.
Coerte Voorhees, the writer and director of “As Deep As the Grave,” stated, “He was the actor I wanted to play this role. It was very much designed around him. It drew on his Native American heritage and his ties to and love of the Southwest. I was looking at a call sheet the other day, and we had him ready to shoot. He was just going through a really, really tough time medically, and he couldn’t do it.”
Kilmer reportedly plays a priest with spiritual ties, a role he had signed onto well before his death. However, even if Kilmer agreed to the role years ago—and even if his estate is on board—the question lingers: where does authorship end and simulation begin?
The AI-generated scenes recreated Kilmer’s likeness by combining archival footage from his later years with younger images of the actor. His voice was similarly reproduced using recordings from the past. All visual and audio materials were supplied by Kilmer’s family.
This is all very dubious, and I would imagine — despite the Kilmer estate’s approval— this will cause major pushback in the industry.
