At Cinema Con in Las Vegas, audiences viewed a trailer for As Deep as the Grave, which features AI-generated images of the late Val Kilmer. His estate, including his daughter and possibly his son, approved the use of his likeness in the film, which began production in 2020 but faced delays due to the pandemic and other challenges.
Val Kilmer passed away at the age of 65 after a lengthy battle with cancer, making the inclusion of his digital character particularly poignant. The film centers on Ann Axtell Morris, a significant figure in archaeology who contributed to the understanding of Native American history. Kilmer portrays Father Fintan, a priest and spiritualist, and his AI-generated character is expected to appear for approximately 1 hour and 17 minutes throughout the film.
The film’s tagline, “Some stories were too hidden to be found,” hints at deeper themes, while the trailer showcases both older and younger representations of Kilmer. The character's dialogue remains minimal, with the only line being “Don’t fear the dead and don’t fear me.” Director Coerte Voorhees indicated that capturing Kilmer’s unique vocal qualities through AI is a significant challenge.