issued Friday, April 17, 2026, 7:46 a.m.
[LAS VEGAS] The producers of late actor Val Kilmer’s new AI-directed film defended their work Thursday, saying they believe their approach points to an ethical path to future technology use in Hollywood.
Brothers Korte and John Voorhees said they received consent from the children to use AI to create the role of Kilmer. deep as a gravethe story of an archaeologist investigating the history of the Navajo people of New Mexico. They said they used archival footage, photographs and audio recordings to create the performance.
Corte Voorhees, the film’s writer and director, said in an interview at CinemaCon, a convention for theater owners in Las Vegas, “I’m 100% convinced that it’s really the right choice for this particular movie, and I’m really looking forward to letting you decide for yourself.”
Mr. Kilmer is top gun I had signed a contract to appear in a movie. deep as a grave He appeared on the show a few years ago, but was unable to perform due to poor health. He passed away a year ago at the age of 65 after a battle with throat cancer.
A trailer for the film released this week shows Kilmer playing the role of Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist.
“Don’t be afraid of the dead. And don’t be afraid of me,” Kilmer’s portrait says in the trailer.
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The trailer drew criticism on social media, with some comments calling it “horrible” and “disgusting.” “There’s a reason this is called ‘REST IN PEACE,'” one person said.
Director Corte Voorhees said he didn’t think audiences who saw the film would understand that Kilmer’s character was not a human performance.
The brothers also said they hope to show Hollywood how to use technology in a positive way. Many actors are concerned about unauthorized use of images that appear to be real. The Voorhees brothers said they followed all guidelines for the use of AI set by the SAG-AFTRA actors union.
“We’re making a bold claim, (a) bold statement, which means we believe we’re doing this in an ethical way,” John Voorhees said. In addition to obtaining the consent of Kilmer’s estate, he said the family has collaborated artistically “in every possible way.”
He added: “Of course it’s scary because so many changes are happening and people are anxious about it.” Reuters
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