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

0:00It's April 16, I'm Cory with The Story, and this is California News Today, local news powered by AI. Thou Kilmer is making a comeback on screen through artificial intelligence in the new film, as deep as the grave. The trailer dropped as Cinemacon in Las Vegas this week, showing his digital likeness as Father Fintan, a priest blending Catholic and Native American, spiritual ways. The movie's a historical drama about archaeologists digging up ancient Puebloan remains in the 1920s, starring folks like Tom Felton and Abigail Bresslin. Filmmakers cast Kilmer years back, but his health kept him from shooting. He passed in 2025 at age 65, so with his estates okay, including daughter Mercedes, they used AI on old footage to bring the character to life from a young priest to a ghostly vibe. This AI move has Hollywood buzzing with the bait over using dead actors digitally. Officers say they stuck to sag after rules on consent, pay, and teamwork, working tight

1:01with the family who even supplied materials. Turns out Kilmer himself leaned on AI before after. Throw cancer stole his voice, he recreated it for Top Gun, Maverick. Production kicked off in New Mexico in 2020, hit pandemic snags, but they pushed forward instead of recasting. Kilmer's on screen for over an hour in this indie flick. No release date yet, but it sets the stage for how AI could keep legends flowing in stories. We love.