Val Kilmer’s Posthumous AI Role in *As Deep as the Grave*

The trailer for the independent historical drama *As Deep as the Grave* has arrived, and its central talking point is a performance created after the performer’s death. Val Kilmer, who passed away in 2025, appears in the film as Father Fintan, a role he was cast in prior to his passing.

His presence is facilitated by generative AI technology, implemented with the cooperation of his family and estate. The trailer showcases Kilmer’s character depicted at various ages, suggesting the AI’s use extends beyond a single, static recreation.

The film, written and directed by A.J. Annila, is set against a 19th century backdrop and features an ensemble cast including Abigail Lawrie, Tom Felton, and Wes Studi. Kilmer’s Father Fintan is described as both a Catholic priest and a Native American spiritualist.

This project places *As Deep as the Grave* within an ongoing industry conversation about the ethical and artistic implications of posthumous digital performance. It follows other recent experiments where AI has been used to recreate or extend an actor’s legacy, raising familiar questions about consent, authorship, and preservation.

The trailer’s release at CinemaCon frames the technology not as a hidden effect, but as a primary feature of the film’s promotion. How this digital reconstruction functions within the full narrative, and how audiences will receive it, remains to be seen when the film is released.