The film centers on archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris, active from the 1920s to the 1940s, with Kilmer cast as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist.

Variety reports the development as of March 18, 2026, with exclusive first look and details by Brent Lang and Jazz Tangcay.

A new film project, As Deep As The Grave, plans to use AI-generated footage to resurrect Val Kilmer in a role he was originally slated to play, with the family’s blessing guiding the effort.

Kilmer’s health challenges, including throat cancer in the mid-2010s, affected his speech and public appearances, shaping the context for posthumous collaboration.

There is uncertainty about whether Kilmer would have approved of AI-based portrayal, highlighting the complex and evolving nature of consent and public perception.

Debate over authorship of an AI-assisted performance—whether it belongs to the director, the estate, or the AI—underlines potential copyright and ethical gray areas.

Backlash centers on concerns about artistic authenticity, posthumous consent, exploitation risks, and setting a precedent for using likenesses without living consent.

The process involves collecting archival data, training speech models, voice synthesis, and careful integration to reconstruct a performance, emphasizing reconstruction over simple imitation.

The article notes related coverage from outlets like ScreenRant and Indiewire and cites March 18, 2026 as the publication date for the exclusive coverage.

The piece specifies that the story is based on a Variety article, naming reporters Brent Lang and Jazz Tangcay, with the date of the report.

Credit lines and the author’s affiliation are provided, with contact details for inquiries.

Completion of the film is reported without a public screening yet; a still image exists and distributors are being sought.