Val Kilmer's AI Comeback in 'As Deep as the Grave'

0:00On March 20th, Val Kilmer is making a comeback on the big screen, even after passing away last year from pneumonia. The Top Gun star will appear posthumously in the action-adventure film, as deep as the grave, playing a Catholic priest in Native American. Spiritualists named Father Fintan, producers at first-line films call it the first performance ever created using generative artificial intelligence. The movie was originally cast five years ago, but Kilmer's health issues kept him from filming. Now, with approval from his estate and daughter Mercedes, the team has brought his likeness to life. It stars Harry Potter actor Tom Felton and 10 stars Abigail Laurie, as archaeologist digging in Arizona's canyon De Chalet, weaving in stories of the Navajo people. Kilmer had a story career. Topping paychecks in the 1990s with roles like Ice Man and Top Gun, Batman and Jim Morrison in the Doors. He even used AI before, recreating his voice damage by throw cancer for Top Gun, Maverick.

1:02The entertainment world is buzzing over AI's rise, with actors unions pushing back hard. In the US, SAG After Talk stalled without a deal on protections, while UK performers voted to block digital scans on sets. Even music plans for AI use got scrapped by the government this week. As the film heads to post-production for a release later this year, this project spotlights how AI could reshape Hollywood, honoring legacies while sparking big debates on jobs and creativity.