The creators of the indie film As Deep as the Grave revealed their AI-generated version of Val Kilmer Wednesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, stirring fresh debate over digital actors. The late star appears in the new trailer as Father Fintan, a Native spiritualist and Catholic priest who warns, “Don’t fear the dead and don’t fear me.” Kilmer died last year at 65 from pneumonia.
Director Coerte Voorhees and producer John Voorhees said they crafted Kilmer’s digital likeness with input from his children and the Screen Actors Guild. They argued their approach was ethical because the actor’s estate granted consent, was paid, and provided archival footage to guide the performance. “Val Kilmer influenced this performance,” Coerte Voorhees said, noting that while technology brought the portrayal to life, he stopped short of calling it truly Kilmer’s.
As Deep As The Grave - CinemaCon 2026 Exclusive Clip & Teaser
The filmmakers defended the choice by comparing the AI depiction to an actor playing a historical figure on screen, as Kilmer once did with Jim Morrison in The Doors. They also highlighted that Kilmer himself used AI before. When cancer treatment damaged his voice, he worked with a tech company to recreate it digitally, a tool used again in Top Gun: Maverick.
According to the brothers, Kilmer had joined As Deep as the Grave years ago, and the story was written around his role. When illness forced him to withdraw, the production continued without him. Later, however, Voorhees realized the story needed Father Fintan back. Conversations with Kilmer’s children, Mercedes and Jack, led to full approval for the digital recreation. “We were glad they were excited and supportive,” Voorhees said. “We didn’t want to do it unless everybody believed it would work.”
The filmmakers said Kilmer appears on screen for over an hour. They have not disclosed the final runtime but confirmed plans to release the movie this year. Industry watchers say this project could accelerate the use of AI in filmmaking, posing questions about consent, creativity, and control that Hollywood can no longer avoid.
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