AI-rendered Val Kilmer debuts in ‘As Deep as the Grave’ trailer
LAS VEGAS– The filmmakers behind “As Deep as the Grave,” the independent film that uses an artificial intelligence-rendered version of Val Kilmer in a leading role, presented a first look at the recreated actor at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
“Fear not the dead, and fear not me,” says Kilmer’s character, Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, at the end of the trailer.
The actor died last year, aged 65, of pneumonia. Using generative AI to recreate Kilmer for the historical drama based on archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris became a hot topic when the filmmakers announced it last month. The trailer shows Kilmer’s character at different ages.
Writer-director Coerte Voorhees and his brother John spoke on a panel Wednesday about the controversial decision to use technology to create a performance from a deceased actor and explained why they feel they did it ethically by working with Kilmer’s children and the actors’ union. However, Coerte Voorhees did not call this a Val Kilmer performance.
“Val Kilmer influenced this performance,” Coerte Voorhees said.
Producer John Voorhees said using AI actors based on real people is risky territory for anyone to venture into, but stressed that they were following guidelines from the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists union, which it boiled down to “consent, compensation and collaboration.” Kilmer’s estate, including his daughter Mercedes, gave permission for its digital replication, was compensated, and provided archival footage to facilitate the process.
They also compared Kilmer’s AI-rendered performance to any actor playing a historical figure on screen, as Kilmer once did with Jim Morrison in “The Doors.” Kilmer also used AI during his lifetime. When he lost his natural voice following a throat cancer diagnosis and two tracheostomies, he turned to an AI software company to digitally recreate his voice. Kilmer’s voice was also digitally altered to facilitate his final on-screen performance in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Kilmer had signed “As Deep as the Grave” years ago; Much of the film was structured around his character, they said. When Kilmer had to pull out at the last minute due to health issues, they decided to continue filming without the character instead of recasting the role. The production experienced many stops and starts and was one of the first to begin filming in New Mexico in fall 2020 amid the pandemic. They later realized that the story really needed Father Fintan and decided to broach the subject with Kilmer’s children, Mercedes and Jack.
“We were so happy that they were so enthusiastic and so supportive of the idea,” Coerte Voorhees said. “We didn’t want to do it unless everyone thought it would work properly.”
He said Kilmer is on screen in the film for one hour and 17 minutes; The final runtime was not revealed but he said it was long. The filmmakers plan to release it this year.
