AdvertisementMoviesTechVal Kilmer to appear posthumously via AI in new filmThe New DailyMar 19, 2026, updated Mar 19, 2026 ShareKilmer and Cruise in 'Top Gun: Maverick'Source: Binge Society Actor Val Kilmer will posthumously appear in the first performance enabled by ‌generative artificial intelligence in the upcoming film As Deep As The Grave.Kilmer, best known for roles in Top Gun, The Doors and Batman Forever, was cast several years ago as Father Fintan — a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist.He was unable to work on set due to complications stemming from throat cancer.He died in April 2025, aged 65.The filmmakers, who have worked closely with Kilmer’s estate and his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, said the ⁠decision to use AI technology was made with the intention ​of honouring Kilmer’s deep personal connection to the role.“At the time that he was cast, Kilmer expressed that the character of Fintan spoke to him both culturally and spiritually,” First Line Films said on Wednesday (US time), citing his Native American heritage and long-time ⁠love of the American south-west.Written and directed ‌by ​Coerte Voorhees, As Deep As The Grave centres on archaeological ​excavations in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, while also exploring the history and lived experiences of the Navajo people.“He was the actor I wanted to play this role,” Voorhees said. “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.”First Line Films, which is based in New ​Mexico, ​said it would employ state-of-the-art generative ​AI technology to recreate Kilmer’s performance for the ‌film, allowing him to embody what the company described as a “historically significant” character.“His family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of this,” Voorhees said.“He really thought it was important story that he wanted his name on. It was that support that gave me the confidence to say, OK let’s do this. Despite the fact some people might call it controversial, this is what Val wanted.”A California-born, Juilliard-trained actor, Kilmer built a career marked by intense performances and an often-mythologised reputation as a Hollywood bad boy.In 2022, he reprised his role as Iceman in the Top Gun: Maverick. In the sequel, the Iceman character had throat cancer, in a reflection of Kilmer’s own diagnosis, and communicated with Tom Cruise’s Maverick via typed words on a screen.In the days after Kilmer’s death, Cruise led a public tribute and minute’s silence to his friend of decades.“I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer, for a moment,” he said during an appearance at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.“I can’t tell you how much I admired his work.”Kilmer’s filmography includes Tombstone, in which he delivered a memorable turn as ​Doc Holliday, as well as blockbuster and biographical roles that cemented his status ​as one of the ⁠most distinctive actors of his generation.-with AAPWant to see more stories from The New Daily in your Google search results?Click here to set The New Daily as a preferred source.Tick the box next to "The New Daily". That's it.Topics: Artificial Intelligence, Celebrity, Movies, Technology Share Follow The New DailyAdvertisementMore Movies >MoviesLate star Val Kilmer to appear via AI in new filmMoviesProject Hail Mary is packed with hard scienceMoviesAustralia’s Oscar contenders learn their fatesCelebrityRose Byrne set to take Oscars stage, win or notMoviesWilson, War of the Worlds big winners at RazziesCelebrity‘Be a Rachel Ward’: Stars embrace ‘au naturel’ trendCelebrityTimothée Chalamet sparks an operatic backlashMovies2026 Oscars battleground: Top predictions in a topsy-turvy raceMoviesPaul McCartney lost and found in stunning film