AI Val Kilmer Appears for 1 Hour and 17 Minutes in New Movie 'As Deep as the Grave'

**TL;DR:** An AI-generated version of the late actor Val Kilmer appears for 1 hour and 17 minutes in the new film "As Deep as the Grave," approved by his estate.

The film premiered at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Wednesday. It tells the story of Ann Axtell Morris, a real archaeologist who made discoveries important to humanity's understanding of Native American history.

Kilmer plays Father Fintan, a priest and Native American spiritualist. The trailer shows him at multiple ages — first appearing as a man in his seventies, then shifting to a younger look reminiscent of his "Top Gun" era. His only clear English dialogue in the trailer is the line: "Don't fear the dead and don't fear me."

The movie began production in 2020 but stalled due to Covid and other delays. Kilmer died at 65 after a public cancer battle. His estate, his daughter, and possibly his son approved the use of his AI-generated likeness.

Director Coerte Voorhees confirmed the AI-generated Kilmer will be onscreen for 1 hour and 17 minutes of the movie's runtime. The character's voice is a soft, whispered approximation of young Kilmer's — a notable choice given that his distinctive voice was as central to his stardom as his physical presence.

**What it means:** The film represents one of the most extensive uses of a deceased actor's AI likeness to date. Audiences will soon decide whether this kind of digital resurrection feels like a meaningful tribute or an unsettling frontier in filmmaking.