Val Kilmer Has Been Resurrected As AI To Star In New Movie ‘As Deep As The Grave’
We have some bad news – the era of posthumous AI actors has arrived, and even though Val Kilmer was a fvcking legend, there’s still something so wrong about a digital version of him starring in a Hollywood movie.
Here’s a first look at the trailer for ‘As Deep As The Grave’:
First trailer for ‘AS DEEP AS THE GRAVE.’
— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) April 15, 2026
Val Kilmer has been resurrected via AI to star in the new movie. pic.twitter.com/Vagkpb2cBi
Grim.
Although Kilmer passed away in 2025 at the age of 65, this AI version of him plays a major character in the film, making it the first major movie to feature a fully AI-generated lead performance by a dead actor.
So why the necessity for an AI Val Kilmer rather than just casting any other (living) actor? Well, Kilmer was originally cast in the role in 2015 – 10 whole years before he died – but his ongoing battle with throat cancer made him too ill to film any scenes before his death.
Rather than recasting, the filmmakers used generative AI to fulfill Kilmer’s wish to be part of the project, which was specifically designed around his Native American heritage. I guess the extra marketing around it doesn’t hurt either.
The AI was trained on archival footage, younger photos, and voice material provided by the family.
Kilmer’s children, Mercedes and Jack Kilmer, gave their full blessing to the project, which is nice. Still, there’s just something so fake and gross about watching AI actors on screen. It also sets a terrible precedent for actors who will sign off their AI likenesses so they can star in movies long after they’re dead. Eventually aspiring actors will need to compete against dead actors for roles!
Fair play to Val Kilmer and his family if this is what they wanted, but I hope this movie flops so that Hollywood reconsiders this sort of thing. The horse may have already bolted in that regard, though.
