Val Kilmer Set to “Return” Through AI in New Film As Deep as the Grave

Nearly a year after his death, Val Kilmer is coming back to the big screen. But this time, it is not the actor himself. 6First Line Films announced that its upcoming historical drama “As Deep as the Grave” will “feature actor Val Kilmer posthumously; a first-ever performance enabled by generative AI.”

The announcement has already split Hollywood and fans right down the middle. And it lands at a time when the debate over AI in filmmaking has never been louder.

What We Know About the Film and Kilmer’s AI Role

2 Five years prior to his death in 2025, Val Kilmer was cast as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, in “As Deep as the Grave.” 3 “It was very much designed around him. It drew on his Native American heritage and his ties to and love of the Southwest,” director Coerte Voorhees told Variety.

But Kilmer never stepped foot on set. 3“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,” Voorhees said.

2 The film, which was previously titled “Canyon of the Dead,” is the true story of Southwestern archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris, chronicling their excavations in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona in their effort to trace the history of the Navajo people. 2 Abigail Lawrie stars opposite Tom Felton, with a cast that includes Wes Studi and Abigail Breslin. 3 Kilmer, or the AI generated version of the actor, will appear in “a significant part” of the finished film. This is not a brief cameo or a background insert. The AI version of Kilmer will carry real weight in the story.

Val Kilmer AI generated performance new movie 2026

How AI Brought Kilmer Back to the Screen

3 Even though he didn’t shoot a single scene, Voorhees has been able to realize his vision of having Kilmer in the ensemble by using state-of-the-art generative AI. 11 Kilmer’s likeness was generated using images of the late actor in his youth, as well as footage in his last years, given to the filmmakers by his family. 11 His voice was also reconstructed via AI.

Here is what makes this project different from typical digital recreations. 3“The character in the film also suffers from tuberculosis,” says producer John Voorhees. “Again, this historical character mirrored Val’s actual condition when he was suffering from throat cancer. And so when it comes to the voice this is a really unique opportunity for the character to reflect the condition that the actor was actually suffering from, thus creating a kind of a bridge.”

That detail is striking. Kilmer’s real life health struggle and the fictional character’s illness run parallel, giving the AI recreation an emotional anchor that pure technology alone cannot provide.

5 “As Deep as the Grave,” which has been in post-production for three years, is expected to be released in 2026.

The Kilmer Family Gave Their Full Blessing

One of the biggest factors behind this project is family support.

3 He’s done it with the cooperation of the late actor’s estate and his daughter Mercedes. Voorhees says Kilmer’s son Jack is also supportive.

In her own statement, Mercedes Kilmer spoke warmly about the decision. 5“My father was a deeply spiritual man and this story of discovery and enlightenment in the American Southwest and his unique role in it really resonated with him.”

She added, 5“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.”

This is key. Kilmer himself had already embraced AI during his lifetime. 26In 2021, he collaborated with Sonantic, a London-based software company, to digitally recreate his voice using AI and archived recordings. More than 40 vocal models were created to find the closest match for future projects.

3 The filmmakers hope that “As Deep as the Grave” will show how AI can be used ethically. They also note that the production relied on SAG guidelines and compensated Kilmer’s estate for his appearance.

“His family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of this. He really thought it was important story that he wanted his name on.” – Director Coerte Voorhees

The Bigger AI Debate Shaking Hollywood

This announcement does not exist in a vacuum. 8The use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking has been one of the most contentious topics in Hollywood in recent years.

The timing matters. 7On Sunday, March 16, actor Val Kilmer was honored at the 2026 Oscars In Memoriam segment for his roles in films like The Doors, Tombstone, Batman Forever, and Top Gun. Just two days later, the AI version of him was revealed.

Then there is Tilly Norwood, the fully AI generated “actress” who drew massive backlash last year. 18Tilly Norwood is a character created using generative artificial intelligence in 2025 by Xicoia, the AI division of Particle6 Group. 8SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, has condemned Xicoia’s “AI actor.”

The reaction online to Kilmer’s AI return has been mixed. 11Some fans have praised filmmakers for including Kilmer in the film despite his death, while others railed against the use of AI to create a performance he never gave, calling it “creepy” and “wrong” on X.

Here is how these two AI situations compare:

The legal landscape is also shifting fast. 5In 2024, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills to help provide AI protections for actors. One of the laws, AB 1836, specifically protects digital likenesses as part of performers’ posthumous right of publicity.

Under SAG-AFTRA’s current rules, 37consent from performers must be given for the use of digital replicas. “Consent not obtained before death must be obtained from an authorized representative or the union.”

Val Kilmer’s Legacy and the Road Ahead

26 Val Edward Kilmer was an American actor. Initially a stage actor, he later found fame as a leading man in films in a wide variety of genres. 26 Kilmer died in his sleep at his Los Angeles home on April 1, 2025, at the age of 65. His immediate cause of death was listed as pneumonia.

From Iceman in Top Gun to Doc Holliday in Tombstone to Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever, Kilmer left behind a body of work that spanned over four decades. 26Films in which Kilmer appeared grossed more than $3.85 billion worldwide.

Whether audiences accept this AI powered performance or reject it will likely set the tone for how Hollywood treats similar projects going forward. 8A generative AI version of Val Kilmer will co-star in an independent film, in one of the boldest uses yet of artificial intelligence in moviemaking. If it works, it opens a door that can never be shut. If it fails, it could push the industry to draw much harder lines around AI and the dead.

What makes this story so complicated is that Val Kilmer genuinely wanted this role. His family says so. The director says so. And Kilmer’s own history of embracing AI to restore his voice backs that up. But a performance that a human being never actually gave, no matter how much technology improves, will always carry an uncomfortable question: Is it really still acting? Tell us what you think in the comments below. Do you support AI being used to honor an actor’s final wish, or does this cross a line that should never be crossed?