Val Kilmer was resurrected almost a year after his death using state-of-the-art generative AI. It’s all because of a new movie titled “As Deep as the Grave.”
The new film’s writer and director, Corte Voorhees, opened up about the “controversial” decision to use artificial intelligence to resurrect the late actor in an interview with Variety published Wednesday.
“He was the actor I wanted to play this role,” Voorhees told the magazine, along with a “first look” image of Kilmer’s AI-generated character, Father Fintan. “It was really designed around him.”
When As Deep as the Grave first began filming in 2020, Voorhees had Kilmer “ready to shoot” his scenes, but Kilmer was “going through a really, really tough time medically” and was “unable to film.”
Mr. Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on April 1, 2025, at the age of 65, spent the last 10 years of his life battling throat cancer.
Voorhees explained that through photos, video and audio recordings obtained with permission from the “Tombstone” star’s estate and family, he was able to use state-of-the-art generative AI to place Kilmer in specific scenes.
“His family kept saying how important this movie was and how Val really wanted to be a part of it,” Voorhees said. “He really thought this was an important story that he wanted his name on.”
She added: “That support gave me the confidence to say, ‘Okay, let’s do this.’ It might be controversial to some people, but this is what Val wanted.”
Mercedes Kilmer, whom the “Doors” star shared with ex-wife Joanne Whalley, expressed support for using AI to bring back her deceased father in “Deep as the Grave.”
“He always looked to emerging technology with an optimistic eye as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling,” Mercedes, 34, told Variety. “That spirit is something we all respect in this particular film, and he was an integral part of that film.”
“Batman Forever” star Jack Kilmer is also said to have co-starred with Wally.
However, director Voorhees revealed that due to time constraints and budgetary reasons, many scenes involving Father Fintan, played by Kilmer, were cut.
However, he ultimately found Kilmer’s role to be “vital” and a “key missing element.”
In addition to the AI version of Kilmer, “As Deep as the Grave” also stars Abigail Lowery and Tim Felton.
The film, based on a true story, will reportedly focus on archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris, their excavations in Arizona, and their work tracing the history of the Navajo Nation.
“Normally we would just recast the actors,” he explained. “I am committed to working with the actors and they always give great performances in this film.”
“But we can’t get the cameras rolling again. We don’t have the budget. We’re not a big studio movie. So we had to think of innovative ways, and we realized the technology was there for us,” the filmmaker continued.
This isn’t the first time AI has been used to portray Kilmer in a movie, but it’s the first since his sad death.
In 2021, seven years after losing his natural speaking voice after undergoing a tracheotomy to treat throat cancer, Kilmer partnered with Sonantik to create an AI-generated speaking voice that reunited him with Tom Cruise in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
The project helped Kilmer reprise his role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, which his daughter said was great.
“I was on set and saw it live, and it was extraordinary,” Mercedes told The Post at the time. “It means a lot because my dad is so proud of that movie. This is what he loves to do.”
