Val Kilmer Resurrected by AI to Star in 'As Deep as the Grave' Movie

[tulipsandroses]

I thought about putting this under movies section but I think it deserves to be on GD since AI will be causing ripples in all facets of life. I saw something recently that said Crypto firms and AI firms are pouring money into this year's elections.

Even though this says it is being done with his family's blessing, I don't want to see an AI Val Kilmer movie.

Five years prior to his death in 2025, Val Kilmer was cast as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, in “As Deep as the Grave.” But Kilmer, who was battling throat cancer, was too sick to ever make it to set.

“He was the actor I wanted to play this role,” says the film’s writer and director Coerte Voorhees. “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.”

Even though he didn’t shoot a single scene, Voorhees has been able to realize his vision of having Kilmer in the ensemble by using state-of-the-art generative AI. And he’s done it with the cooperation of the late actor’s estate and his daughter Mercedes (Voorhees says Kilmer’s son Jack is also supportive).

https://variety.com/2026/film/news/val-kilmer-ai-film-as-deep-as-the-grave-1236691042/

[IcyPeas]

1. How do the other actors in the film feel about it? *

Even if someone is a fan of Val Kilmer do they want to see a movie that he's not "really" in? He was looking forward to being in this film when he got sick. I mean, if this is just a one time thing sort of in honor of Val Kilmer that's one thing, but if it's the future of films it's awful. Didn't SAG go on strike with this being one of their big issues? Curious to see if SAG will issue a statement.

Are his family making a lot of money from it?

* I understand they want a paycheck and aren't likely to turn down a job.