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Val Kilmer to Appear Posthumously via AI in Indie Film ‘As Deep as the Grave’

Producers say they rebuilt his likeness from family-provided archives under SAG rules.

Overview

  • Filmmakers with First Line Films confirmed a generative‑AI performance with permission from Kilmer’s estate, which they say was compensated.
  • Kilmer appears as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, in a drama inspired by archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris in the American Southwest.
  • Writer‑director Coerte Voorhees says the role was created for Kilmer; his children Mercedes and Jack backed the decision after illness prevented him from shooting.
  • The recreation uses archival images, footage and voice samples to portray multiple ages, echoing Kilmer’s earlier adoption of AI voice technology following throat cancer treatments.
  • The film is still seeking distribution with no release date, and the announcement has drawn divided public reactions over the ethics of posthumous digital performances.