- Primary Subject: Val Kilmer’s AI-generated performance in As Deep as the Grave
- Key Update: Director Coerte Voorhees confirmed that the late Val Kilmer will appear in a significant role in the upcoming indie film using generative AI technology.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: March 19, 2026
- Quick Answer: Val Kilmer’s family approved using AI in As Deep as the Grave because the actor originally signed on for the role before passing away in 2025.
The late Val Kilmer is set to make an appearance in the upcoming independent film As Deep as the Grave through the generative AI technology. But did his family give their approval?
The Top Gun star passed away last year following his battle with throat cancer. While he is deeply missed by fans, his iconic works and performances will always resonate, and they are still being celebrated to this day. However, as it turns out, we will have the chance to see him again on screen in an upcoming project.
How AI Will Bring Back Val Kilmer in As Deep as the Grave
Speaking with Variety, As Deep as the Grave director Coerte Voorhees shared that Kilmer was originally cast in the project five years before his passing, but he couldn't show up on set due to his illness.
"He was the actor I wanted to play this role. It was very much designed around him. It drew on his Native American heritage and his ties to and love of the Southwest. I was looking at a call sheet the other day, and we had him ready to shoot. He was just going through a really, really tough time medically, and he couldn’t do it," he said.
As a result, Voorhees decided to use state-of-the-art generative AI to realize his vision of including Kilmer in the finished film. He will "appear" in a significant part.
They used both younger images of Kilmer and footage from his final years to show his character in various stages of his life. The audio also utilizes Kilmer’s voice, which, in his later life, was damaged by a tracheostomy procedure.
"Normally, we would just recast an actor. I’m all about working with our actors, and we have brilliant performances all throughout this movie. But we can’t roll camera again. We don’t have the budget. We’re not a big studio film. So we had to think of innovative ways to do it. And we realized the technology is there for us," Voorhees explained.
Did Val Kilmer's Family Approve the Use of AI in the Movie?
Fans have been wondering whether Kilmer's family approved the project's decision to "resurrect" him using AI technology.
Voorhees confirmed that it was done with the cooperation of the late actor’s estate and his daughter, Mercedes. Kilmer's son, Jack, has also been supportive.
"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.' Despite the fact that some people might call it controversial, this is what Val wanted."
Mercedes has also released a statement and shared why her father would have approved the use of AI for him to appear in the movie.
"My father was a deeply spiritual man, and this story of discovery and enlightenment in the American Southwest and his unique role in it really resonated with him," she 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."
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