The late actor’s likeness appears at different ages throughout the film

In the trailer for the upcoming historical biopic As Deep as the Grave, Val Kilmer‘s likeness appears in startling detail. In one scene, portraying Father Fintan — a Native American spiritualist and Catholic priest — the late actor’s likeness crouches down toward a child and sagely advises, “Don’t fear the dead, and don’t fear me.”

There’s an uncanny realism to his AI-generated character’s perfectly swept blonde hair, meticulously placed sun spots, and deep-set wrinkles in the clip, which might prompt viewers to question just how much of the film is AI-assisted. The film centers on the lives of archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris (played by Abigail Lawrie and Tom Felton, respectively), who excavated the Canyon De Chelly in Arizona. The trailer features dramatic scenes of people dangling from cliffs and an explosive avalanche. While what’s real — and isn’t — is sure to be discussed upon the film’s full release, Kilmer’s performance was digitally created with the support of Kilmer’s estate and his daughter Mercedes.

Kilmer died on April 1, 2025, after an extended battle with throat cancer. While the actor had been cast as Father Fintan, he was never able to make it on set due to his health struggles.

“When Val came on board the project five years ago, he immediately identified with the historical Southwestern spiritual character of Father Fintan, and understood the importance of elevating awareness of Ann Morris’ incredible story as the first female archaeologist in North America,” Coerte Voorhees, the director, writer, and producer of As Deep as the Grave, previously said in a press release.

Mercedes emphasized the significance of her father’s role, and in a statement said that he was a “deeply spiritual man, and this story of discovery and enlightenment in the American Southwest, and his unique role in it, really resonated with him.” She added, “He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism, as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling. This spirit is something that we are all honoring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part.”

AI has caused tectonic shifts in the film industry and has caused panic among those in the industry to warn that it is already replacing valuable jobs in Hollywood. The technology has already been used in many films, from a de-aged Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to a younger Mark Hamill in the Mandalorian to James Dean returning to the screen in Back to Eden, nearly 70 years after his death.