A year after his death, an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated version of actor Val Kilmer is set to appear in an independent film, production banner First Line Films announced on Wednesday.
Kilmer has been posthumously cast in the film As Deep as the Grave. According to the producers, the actor had signed on to the project before his death but was unable to participate due to declining health.
Kilmer’s estate has granted permission for the creation of his digital likeness and is being compensated for its use. His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, said the role held personal significance for the actor.
“He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling,” she said in a statement. “This spirit is something that we are all honoring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part”.
Kilmer died in April last year at the age of 65 from pneumonia. He had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and underwent two tracheotomies, which affected his natural speaking voice.
In later years, he worked with an AI software company to digitally recreate his voice. In his final screen appearance in the 2022 film Top Gun: Maverick, his voice was digitally modified.
The use of artificial intelligence in cinema has emerged as a contentious issue in recent years, with industry stakeholders divided over its ethical and creative implications.
Actors’ union SAG-AFTRA has criticised such developments, particularly the concept of AI actors. However, it has laid down guidelines governing the use of digital replicas, requiring consent from performers or their authorised representatives.
“Consent not obtained before death must be obtained from an authorized representative or the union,” its guidance states.
Representatives for SAG-AFTRA have not yet commented on the AI-generated casting of Kilmer.
In a joint email statement, writer-director Coerte Voorhees and producer John Voorhees said the production adhered to union guidelines.
“We believe we are serving as a demonstrator for how to do it ethically and correctly, especially in the case of working with a deceased actor’s estate and family,” they said.
As Deep as the Grave, previously titled Canyon of the Dead, was filmed several years ago but has remained in post-production. The film is based on the real-life story of archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris, whose excavations in Arizona unearthed significant Native American history.
The AI-generated version of Kilmer portrays Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist.
The cast also includes Abigail Lawrie, Tom Felton, Wes Studi and Abigail Breslin.