Recommendations of the Editorial team
In the trailer for the upcoming historical film “As Deep as the Grave,” Val Kilmer’s likeness appears in astonishing detail. In a scene in which he portrays Father Fintan – a Native American spiritualist and Catholic priest – the digitally created image of the late actor bends down to a child and says quietly Belief: “Do not fear the dead, and do not fear me.”
The AI-generated character has an uncanny lifelike quality: the accurately parted blonde hair, precisely placed age spots, deeply buried wrinkles – all of this is likely to raise the question in the audience as to how much of the film was actually created using AI. The film revolves around the lives of archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris (played by Abigail Lawrie and Tom Felton), who excavated Canyon de Chelly in Arizona in the 1920s. The trailer shows dramatic scenes with people hanging on rocks and a massive avalanche. What is real – and what is not – will cause discussions when the film is released in the cinema. In any case, Kilmer’s performance was created digitally, with the support of his estate and his daughter Mercedes.
Kilmer died on April 1, 2025 after a long battle with throat cancer. Although he was cast in the role of Father Fintan, he was never able to come to the set due to his illness.
Director on Kilmer’s role
“When Val joined the project five years ago, he immediately identified with the historical figure of Father Fintan, that spiritual character of the American Southwest, and recognized the importance of shining a light on Ann Morris’ incredible story as North America’s first female archaeologist,” said Coerte Voorhees, director, writer and producer of “As Deep as the Grave,” in a previous press release.
Mercedes emphasized the importance of her father’s role, saying in a statement that he was “a deeply spiritual person” and “this story of discovery and enlightenment in the American Southwest, and his special role in it, really resonated with him.” She added: “He always viewed emerging technologies with optimism, as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling. We all honor that spirit in this film, of which he was an integral part.”
AI has tectonically shaken the film industry, sparking panic among industry insiders who warn that the technology is already displacing valuable jobs in Hollywood. It has already been used in numerous productions: from a rejuvenated Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” to a younger Mark Hamill in “Mandalorian” to James Dean, who returns to the screen in “Back to Eden” – almost 70 years after his death.
