Five years before his death in 2025, Val Kilmer was cast as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, in the film 'As Deep as the Grave.' However, due to his battle with throat cancer, Kilmer was too ill to ever appear on set.
Director and writer Coerte Voorhees has used generative AI to include Kilmer in the film, with the cooperation of the actor's estate and his daughter Mercedes. 'His family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of this,' Voorhees said.
The film, previously titled 'Canyon of the Dead,' tells the true story of archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. The AI-generated version of Kilmer will appear in a significant part of the film, using both younger images and footage from his final years.
Producer John Voorhees noted that the character's tuberculosis mirrored Kilmer's actual condition, creating a unique bridge between the actor and his role. The filmmakers decided against recasting due to budget constraints and turned to AI as an innovative solution.
The production followed SAG guidelines and compensated Kilmer's estate. In a statement, Mercedes Kilmer said her father 'always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling.'
