WATCH: Val Kilmer Resurrected With AI In New Movie Trailer

The late Val Kilmer is set to return to the big screen in an unprecedented way, with filmmakers using generative AI to recreate the actor’s performance in upcoming historical drama As Deep as the Grave.

The first trailer for the film debuted at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, offering audiences an early look at what has been described as “a first-ever performance enabled by generative AI.”

Kilmer appears as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist — a role he had originally been cast in before his health prevented him from filming.

Kilmer, who died on April 1, 2025, had battled throat cancer after being diagnosed in 2014, an illness that significantly impacted his ability to perform in later years.

Although he was attached to the project as far back as 2020, he was ultimately unable to take part in production.

Now, with the full backing of his family — including daughter Mercedes Kilmer — filmmakers have used archival footage from across his life, combined with AI technology, to construct a digital performance.

Val Kilmer's family has shown their support for this AI-based posthume portrayal of the actor. Pictured is Jack Kilmer at 'Palo Alto' Premiere in 2014

In the trailer, Kilmer appears at various stages of his life — at times as a ghostly figure, and at others as a younger version of himself. In one scene, he delivers the line: “Don’t fear the dead and don’t fear me,” while kneeling to speak to a child.

Writer and director Coerte Voorhees said the project was always intended to centre around Kilmer. “It was very much designed around him,” he explained.

“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.”

Voorhees also stressed that the decision to proceed with AI was rooted in both necessity and respect for the actor’s wishes.

“His family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of this,” he said.

“He really thought it was an important story that he wanted his name on. It was that support that gave me the confidence to say, okay let’s do this.”

Val Kilmer speaks during NOVUS Summit SDG Moonshots at United Nations Headquarters, NYC, July 2019

The film’s production team has emphasised that the process was carried out ethically, working closely with Kilmer’s estate and adhering to industry guidelines.

His family provided the archival material used to build the performance, and the estate was compensated.

In a statement, Mercedes Kilmer said: “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.”

The film itself tells the story of real-life archaeologists Ann Axtell Morris and Earl H. Morris, played by Abigail Lawrie and Tom Felton, as they carry out excavations in Canyon de Chelly in Arizona.

The ensemble cast also includes Abigail Breslin, Finn Jones, Tatanka Means, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Wes Studi, Colin Firth, Paul Bettany, Thandiwe Newton, Hunter Schafer, Ciarán Hinds and Daryl McCormack.

Despite the film’s sweeping visuals — including dramatic cliffside excavations, buffalo stampedes and river crossings — it is Kilmer’s AI-generated presence that is likely to draw the most attention.

Val Kilmer is resurrected with AI in 'As Deep As The Grave,' a posthume project produced by 'A Visionary Film' and directed by Coerte Voorhees

The use of AI to recreate actors remains a controversial topic within Hollywood, with ongoing concerns about consent, authenticity and the potential impact on acting jobs. However, the filmmakers behind As Deep as the Grave insist their approach is different, pointing to Kilmer’s prior involvement and the explicit support of his family.

As Voorhees put it: “Despite the fact some people might call it controversial, this is what Val wanted.”

The film is currently seeking distribution, with a release date yet to be confirmed.