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- It only took 7 minutes to create an AI-generated Val Kilmer for a scene in his new movie (businessinsider.com)
Val Kilmer Revived Through AI in Upcoming Historical Drama “As Deep as the Grave”
After years of effort to bring their 1920s period drama As Deep as the Grave to life, director Coerte Voorhees and producer John Voorhees faced a heartbreaking setback when Val Kilmer, initially attached to star, became too ill to participate due to his battle with throat cancer. Kilmer passed away in 2025, leaving the filmmakers at a crossroads.
Undeterred, the Voorhees brothers initially removed Kilmer’s role as a Catholic priest from the script. However, rapid advancements in artificial intelligence opened a new door. With the blessing of Kilmer’s children, Mercedes and Jack, they decided to employ AI technology to recreate Kilmer’s performance, effectively bringing the late actor back to the screen.
The first look at this AI-generated Kilmer was unveiled during CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where the film’s trailer was screened. Notably, the trailer features two distinct digital representations of Kilmer: one approximating his appearance near the end of his life at age 65, and another depicting him in his 30s during flashback scenes.
Coerte Voorhees explained the meticulous process behind the digital recreation, highlighting that the final close-up shot of young Kilmer speaking to a child required hours of archival research to supply the AI with sufficient material. Remarkably, the AI rendering itself took only seven minutes. “We had to be such students of Val Kilmer, making sure every detail – down to the mole on his cheek – was authentic,” Coerte said.
Impressed by the technology’s capabilities, the filmmakers expanded Kilmer’s role, which now totals over an hour of screen time. This is not Kilmer’s first experience with AI-assisted performances; while alive, he consented to the use of AI to reproduce his voice for Top Gun: Maverick.
The Voorhees brothers emphasized the collaborative nature of the project, praising Mercedes and Jack Kilmer for their thoughtful involvement and creative authority over their father’s digital legacy. “Consent, compensation, collaboration – it’s all essential,” John Voorhees remarked. “What you see on screen is exactly what the family wants.”
As AI technology continues to evolve, the filmmakers are grateful it has enabled them to craft a nuanced tribute to Kilmer’s talent and spirit. As Deep as the Grave is currently seeking distribution.
The film’s trailer offers a compelling glimpse of how technology and heartfelt storytelling can combine to honor a beloved actor’s legacy.
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- It only took 7 minutes to create an AI-generated Val Kilmer for a scene in his new movie (businessinsider.com)