Val Kilmer’s Last Movie Stars an AI Version of Him

On Sunday, March 16, actor Val Kilmer was honored at the 2026 Oscars In Memoriam segment for his roles in films like The Doors, Tombstone, Batman Forever, and Top Gun. But while most people consider his appearance in Top Gun: Maverick as his last role, production company First Line Films says there’s one more movie Kilmer was a part of — one he never even filmed. 

On March 18, Kilmer’s estate and First Line Films announced that the upcoming drama biopic As Deep as the Grave will feature an AI-generated version of the late actor. The film is described as an “action adventure” that details the lives of archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris (Abigail Lawrie and Tom Felton, respectively), researchers known for their excavations in Mexico and the Southwest from the 1920s through the 1940s. According to the press release, the film focuses on a period when they were focusing on Arizona’s Canyon De Chelly, studying the Navajo people. Kilmer had been cast as Catholic priest Father Fintan, but was never able to make it on set because of his health struggles and eventual death in 2025. According to Variety, the film will use generative AI to re-create Kilmer’s likeness for his performance. It’s unclear what programs were used and how much screen time Kilmer’s likeness has in the film. 

“When Val came on board the project five years ago, he immediately identified with the historical Southwestern spiritual character of Father Fintan, and understood the importance of elevating awareness of Ann Morris’ incredible story as the first female archaeologist in North America,” Coerte Voorhees, the director, writer, and producer of As Deep as the Grave, said in a press release. “It was very unfortunate that his health at the time prevented him from playing this role which spoke to him spiritually and culturally. We are honored to collaborate with his daughter, Mercedes, who brings her own filmmaking experience, to bring this character to life in the way that we had all originally imagined it.”

Kilmer died on April 1, 2025, after an extended battle with throat cancer. His estate and his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, gave permission for his likeness to be used. 

“My father was a deeply spiritual man, and this story of discovery and enlightenment in the American Southwest, and his unique role in it, really resonated with him,” Mercedes added in the press release. “He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism, as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling. This spirit is something that we are all honoring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part.”