MOVIE NEWS – Last year brought a major loss for the film industry when Val Kilmer passed away at 65 after a decade-long battle with throat cancer, with pneumonia listed as his official cause of death. One of the defining movie stars of the 1980s and 1990s, Kilmer left a lasting mark on Hollywood through films such as Top Gun, Tombstone, and The Doors, and he continued working well into the 21st century even after his diagnosis. The final film of his career was Top Gun: Maverick, which gave him a return as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky and went on to become one of the biggest theatrical hits of the modern era.

Especially after his diagnosis, Kilmer became an outspoken supporter of artificial intelligence and often discussed the benefits it could bring to filmmaking when used responsibly. That advocacy was already put into practice in Top Gun: Maverick, where the production used an AI-developed version of his voice to deliver his few lines opposite Tom Cruise’s Maverick during his single major scene. Now, even after his death, that same affinity for controversial technology is returning to the spotlight through a new project that once again places Kilmer at the center of attention.

A Digital Version of Kilmer Takes Shape in a New Film

At CinemaCon 2026 in Las Vegas, writer-director Coerte Voorhees unveiled the first trailer for his new film, As Deep as the Grave. The story centers on real-life archaeologists Ann Morris and Earl Morris, played by Abigail Lawrie and Tom Felton, as they uncover the remains of the Ancestral Puebloans in the 1920s. The movie has drawn immediate attention because it features an AI-generated likeness of Val Kilmer, who appears as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist. He is visible in multiple scenes from the trailer, including the closing moment, where he says, Don’t fear the dead, and don’t fear me.

Kilmer had originally been cast in the film years before shooting began, but by the time principal photography started in November 2020, he was no longer healthy enough to perform the role. According to Voorhees, the actor felt deeply connected to the character and was particularly passionate about helping bring more attention to Ann Morris’s story as one of North America’s first female archaeologists. Because the role had been written specifically for Kilmer, the director worked closely with the actor’s family to include him in the project through generative AI. Kilmer’s children openly supported the choice, explaining that their father still wanted to be part of this story even after he was physically unable to contribute to the production.

Not Presented as a Val Kilmer Performance, but as Something Inspired by Him

The decision has already stirred serious controversy within the film community, but Voorhees has been careful with how he frames it. He does not describe the result as Kilmer performing the role himself, but rather as a performance influenced by Kilmer. For the filmmaker, securing the support of the actor’s children was essential, because he clearly understood how ethically sensitive the move would be. At the same time, many in the industry are worried that this could set off a broader trend, with studios becoming more willing to use artificial intelligence to revive deceased stars on screen.

As Deep as the Grave is expected to arrive sometime in 2026, although it still does not have an official release date. What is already certain, however, is that the film is likely to be remembered not only for bringing Val Kilmer back in digital form, but also for reigniting one of Hollywood’s most divisive debates about how far artificial intelligence should be allowed to go in filmmaking.

Source: MovieWeb