Val Kilmer’s daughter is championing the late actor’s return to AI for her role in the new film As Deep as the Grave.
Mercedes Kilmer appeared on the “Today Show” on Wednesday to address the confused reaction to her father’s likeness being used in an upcoming indie film. Val Kilmer passed away in 2025 after a long battle with throat cancer. He appeared in “As Deep as the Grave” before his death, but was too ill to work. The actor previously worked with Sonantic to create the AI-powered voice that aided his brief appearance in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
“It started as a way to overcome the limitations of his illness, but then it evolved into something where he really was like, ‘Oh, wait. I actually have a chance to set a precedent,'” Mercedes Kilmer said. “It’s sort of fallen into two camps: people who are probably in a more precarious position in the industry and who are worried and see AI as a threat (which is definitely justified) and younger people, young actors, musicians. I’m a musician, and a lot of people I know are very scared of this technology.”
“At the same time, we’ve had a lot of really good responses from people who are older and perhaps more established in the industry and others who see this technology as a way to protect ownership of actors’ intellectual property. We have to fight this technology in some way, and avoiding it isn’t necessarily the way to go. When you license something aggressively, it’s much easier to build rights.”
The Kilmer Estate has granted permission to the director of the film “In the Grave” to use the late actor’s voice and footage in the film. Originally set to appear in 2020, Kilmer was unable to work on the project and a release date for the film has not yet been set.
Val Kilmer passed away in April 2025 at the age of 65. He is best known for his roles in Tombstone and Top Gun, as Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever, and opposite Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in Heat.
