Watch AI Resurrect Val Kilmer in As Deep as the Grave Trailer
The filmmakers behind As Deep as the Grave unveiled the first trailer for the upcoming historical drama at CinemaCon. The footage offers audiences a glimpse of the controversial technology used to bring a beloved late actor back to the screen one final time.
Late Val Kilmer recreated by AI for As Deep as the Grave trailer
The filmmakers behind As Deep as the Grave debuted the trailer for the upcoming historical drama at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Wednesday (via Variety). The footage provides a first look at the generative AI technology used to recreate Val Kilmer’s performance as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist.
Kilmer, who died in 2025 at age 65 after battling throat cancer, accepted the role years earlier but became too sick to shoot. His estate and his daughter Mercedes cooperated with the production, which used archival material to complete his performance. The trailer shows Kilmer at various ages, portraying both a spectral, ghost-like figure and a dashing, 30-something man of the cloth.
Kilmer’s character delivers the line, “Don’t fear the dead and don’t fear me,” while kneeling down to look a child in the eyes. Director Coerte Voorhees told Variety last month that the film drew on Kilmer’s Native American heritage and his love of the Southwest. “It was very much designed around him,” Voorhees said. “His family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of this.”
Producer John Voorhees said the production adhered to SAG-AFTRA standards centered on “consent, compensation and collaboration.” The filmmakers compensated the estate, which contributed materials for the recreation. Mercedes Kilmer said in a statement that her father would have wanted to be included. “He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling,” she said.
The indie film stars Abigail Lawrie, Tom Felton, Abigail Breslin, Tatanka Means, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Wes Studi and Finn Jones. Kilmer’s character appears in over an hour of the movie.
Source: Comingsoon.net