In a groundbreaking use of artificial intelligence, the late actor Val Kilmer has been digitally revived to take on a leading role in the upcoming film As Deep as the Grave, Variety has reported.
Kilmer, who passed away on April 1, 2025, from pneumonia, was originally cast in the project years earlier but was unable to film his scenes due to declining health. The film, a historical drama centered on the real-life 1920s archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris and their groundbreaking work in Arizona, will now feature Kilmer as Father Fintan — a priest with ties to Native American communities.
According to the exclusive announcement, the production has employed advanced AI technology to recreate Kilmer’s likeness and performance with the full support of his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer.
“He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling,” Mercedes Kilmer told Variety previously. “This spirit is something that we are all honoring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part.”
Variety released the first-look images from the film’s trailer, showing the AI-generated Kilmer in character: one still depicts him as the priest standing in a stark desert landscape with dramatic canyon rock formations in the background, while a close-up captures his thoughtful expression in a more intimate scene.
The development marks one of the most high-profile uses of AI to bring a deceased actor back to the screen, sparking immediate debate online about the ethics of digital resurrection in cinema. While some viewers have called the technology “creepy” or “disrespectful,” others see it as a respectful way to complete Kilmer’s unfinished work.
As Deep as the Grave is currently in post-production, with no release date announced yet. The full trailer is expected to drop soon.
This story is developing. Life News Agency will continue to monitor reactions and updates from the filmmakers.
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