Val Kilmer Resurrected by AI to Star in ‘As Deep as the Grave’ Movie — First Look Val Kilmer, who passed away in 2025, was cast as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, in the film As Deep as the Grave five years before his death. However, Kilmer, who was battling throat cancer, was unable to film any scenes due to his deteriorating health. The film’s writer and director, Coerte Voorhees, expressed that Kilmer was the ideal choice for the role, which was tailored to his heritage and connection to the American Southwest. “He was the actor I wanted to play this role,” Voorhees said. “It was very much designed around him.” Despite being ready to shoot, Kilmer’s medical condition prevented him from participating. To honor Kilmer’s vision, Voorhees and the film’s producers used generative AI to bring the actor’s likeness to the screen. The project received support from Kilmer’s estate, his daughter Mercedes, and his son Jack. “His family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of this,” Voorhees explained. “It was that support that gave me the confidence to say, okay let’s do this.” The film, which was previously titled Canyon of the Grave, is based on the true story of archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris, who explored Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, to uncover the history of the Navajo people. Kilmer’s character, a priest with tuberculosis, mirrors his real-life struggle with throat cancer. The film’s production faced significant challenges, including delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which stretched the project to six years. At one point, scenes featuring Father Fintan were cut due to budget and time constraints, but the filmmakers later decided to restore them to complete the narrative.#val_kilmer #coerte_voorhees #as_deep_as_the_grave #canyon_de_chelly #mercedes_kilmer
