AI brings Val Kilmer back to screen in new film after his death

Val Kilmer is set to appear in a new film through the use of generative AI, years after his death, in a move that is already raising questions across the industry.

The late actor will feature in As Deep as the Grave, despite never filming any scenes, with filmmakers using advanced AI technology to recreate his performance.

Director Coerte Voorhees said Kilmer had originally been cast as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, but was unable to take part due to serious health complications linked to throat cancer.

“He was the actor I wanted to play this role,” Voorhees said, adding that the character had been written specifically with Kilmer in mind.

With the support of Kilmer’s family, including his daughter Mercedes, the production moved forward with recreating the actor using a mix of archival footage and AI-generated visuals.

The performance combines younger images of Kilmer with footage from his later years, allowing the character to appear at different stages of life. The film also uses AI-assisted audio, drawing from the actor’s voice, which had been affected following a tracheal procedure.

Producers said the decision was not taken lightly, but was driven by a desire to complete a role Kilmer had strongly connected with.

“His family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of this,” Voorhees said, acknowledging that the move could be seen as controversial.

The film, previously titled Canyon of the Dead, tells the true story of archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris and their work in Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly, tracing the history of the Navajo people.

Kilmer’s AI-generated presence is expected to play a significant role in the final cut.

The use of AI in filmmaking remains a growing and often contentious issue, with critics raising concerns about consent, ethics and the future of performance in Hollywood. Supporters, however, argue it opens new creative possibilities when used responsibly.

Filmmakers behind the project said they followed industry guidelines, including compensating Kilmer’s estate, and emphasised that the actor himself had previously embraced emerging technologies.

During his lifetime, Kilmer worked with AI voice tools for Top Gun: Maverick, after losing much of his natural speaking ability due to illness.

In a statement, Mercedes Kilmer said her father had been “a deeply spiritual man” who believed in storytelling and innovation.

“He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling,” she said.