Val Kilmer is returning to the screen almost a year after his death, with the late actor set to appear in an upcoming independent film using generative AI to recreate his image, likeness and voice.
Kilmer, who died in April 2025 after being diagnosed with pneumonia, had been cast As deep as the grave before his death but was never able to film his scenes due to illness.
Writer and director Coerte Voorhees revealed that instead of recasting the role, the production used cutting-edge AI technology to bring Kilmer’s performance to life, with the full blessing of his estate and family.
“He was the actor I wanted to play this role with,” Voorhees said. Variety.
“It was designed largely around him. It was inspired by his Native American heritage, his connections and his love for the Southwest.”
Kilmer was set to play Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, a role the director said suited him perfectly.
With filming completed and no budget for reshoots, recasting simply wasn’t an option.
“Normally we just recast an actor,” Voorhees explained. “But we can’t roll the camera anymore. We don’t have the budget… So we had to think of innovative ways to do it. And we realized the technology was there for us.”
The production obtained permission from Kilmer’s estate and compensated her according to SAG guidelines.
Voorhees made it clear that family support was what ultimately gave him the confidence to move forward.
“Her family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of it,” he said.
“He really thought it was [an] important story he wanted his name mentioned on. It was that support that gave me the confidence to say, “Okay, let’s do this.” » Although some might call this controversial, it’s what Val wanted. »
Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes, 34, echoed the sentiment, describing her father as “a deeply spiritual man” who deeply connected to the film’s themes of discovery and enlightenment in the American Southwest.
“He always viewed emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling,” she said. Variety.
“That spirit is something that we all honor in this specific film, of which it was an integral part.”
As deep as the grave also stars Abigail Lawrie, Tom Felton, Wes Studi and Abigail Breslin.
