The late actor Val Kilmer will be appearing in the upcoming film As Deep as the Grave, which is scheduled to release this year. Yes, you heard that right—the actor has been recreated using AI and will have a significant screen presence in the film. The trailer for the movie was shown at CinemaCon 2026, and it reportedly featured both younger and older versions of him.
Kilmer’s AI resurrection backed by family
The historical drama film, set in 1920s America, revolves around archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris exploring the Navajo lands in Arizona. Reportedly, Kilmer was cast in the film in the role of Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, but he was unable to perform due to his cancer diagnosis. In 2025, Kilmer succumbed to throat cancer.
Despite never stepping on set for the production, Kilmer will appear in the film through the use of generative AI. Kilmer’s digital return has the support of his children and estate.
“He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling. This spirit is something that we are all honoring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part,” Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes had previously told Variety.
As per reports, SAG-AFTRA guidelines were followed, and the filmmakers claimed that they used AI ethically, unlike unauthorized deepfakes. The trailer shows Kilmer as a younger priest version of himself and an older, ghost-like presence.
“It was very much designed around him,” Coerte Voorhees, the film’s writer and director, said to Variety. “It drew on his Native American heritage and his ties to and love of the Southwest… His family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of this.”
Media reports stated that the makers used archival footage and recordings to generate an AI version of him. In the trailer, he can also be seen kneeling in front of a child and mouthing the dialogue: “Don’t fear the dead and don’t fear me.”
Do you agree with the filmmakers’ decision to use an AI-generated version of Val Kilmer in As Deep as the Grave, even if it is ethical? Let us know in the comments section below.
