Director Coerte Voorhees and producer John Voorhees have unveiled the trailer for their upcoming film, “As Deep as the Grave.” The movie features a groundbreaking performance by an artificially generated Val Kilmer, marking a significant milestone in the use of artificial intelligence in cinema.
The Voorhees brothers had spent decades trying to bring their 1920s historical drama to life. Their hopes were high when Val Kilmer, a beloved actor, agreed to star in the film. However, tragedy struck when Kilmer, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, became too ill to participate. He passed away in 2025, leaving the project in limbo.
At first, the brothers considered removing Kilmer’s role from the film entirely. But as advancements in AI technology accelerated, they found a new solution. With the approval of Kilmer’s children, Mercedes and Jack, the team used AI to resurrect the actor’s performance. This decision has sparked both excitement and debate about the future of filmmaking and the ethical implications of using AI to recreate actors’ likenesses.
The first public glimpse of AI-generated Kilmer came when the Voorhees premiered the film’s trailer at CinemaCon, a major movie theater convention held annually in Las Vegas. The trailer showcases two versions of Kilmer: one that closely resembles his appearance at the time of his death and another that depicts him in his 30s during a flashback scene.
One of the most striking moments in the trailer is the appearance of young Kilmer. According to Coerte Voorhees, the final shot of the trailer—where Kilmer speaks to a child—required extensive work. The team spent hours sourcing archival footage to feed into the AI system. Once the data was gathered, the actual AI generation of the shot took only seven minutes.
Coerte emphasized the importance of authenticity in the process. “We had to make sure the authenticity was coming across, down to the mole on the side of his cheek,” he said. “We just had to be such students of Val Kilmer.”
Once the Voorhees saw the potential of AI, they decided not only to bring Kilmer back into the film but also to expand his role. The filmmakers confirmed that Kilmer has over an hour of screen time in the movie, making this one of the most significant uses of AI in a film to date.
This is not the first time that Val Kilmer and his estate have explored the use of AI. When the actor was alive, he approved the use of AI technology to recreate his voice for his role in “Top Gun: Maverick.” The Voorhees praised Kilmer’s children for their thoughtful approach to the project.
“Mercedes and Jack have as much creative authority when we give them a suggestion,” John Voorhees said. “It’s consent, it’s compensation, it’s collaboration. You have to do that. What you see on the screen is what the family wants.”
The filmmakers expressed gratitude for the advancements in AI technology, which allowed them to create a nuanced tribute to Kilmer. “Fortunately, AI has been the biggest ally in this, because it’s focused on the emotional experience now,” Coerte said.
“As Deep as the Grave” is currently seeking distribution. The film represents a bold step forward in the integration of AI into storytelling, raising important questions about the future of acting, legacy, and the boundaries of technology in the arts.
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