Producers said Kilmer had been working on the project before his death, but was unable to film due to declining health. His estate has reportedly authorized the use of his digital likeness and has received compensation.
Kilmer’s daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, said her father was always open to innovation in storytelling.
“He always had an optimistic view of emerging technology, and this spirit is something we all pay homage to in this particular film,” she said in a statement.
Mr. Kilmer passed away last April at the age of 65. After battling throat cancer in 2014, he lost his natural speaking voice. In Top Gun: Maverick, his voice was digitally reconstructed to match his appearance.
The film, previously titled Canyon of the Dead, is based on the true story of archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris and their work uncovering Arizona’s Native American history. The AI-generated Kilmer will play Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and spiritualist.
He will co-star with Tom Felton, Abigail Breslin and Wes Studi.
AI use in Hollywood sparks debate
The use of “digital twins” is still a debated issue in Hollywood. Actors union SAG-AFTRA has expressed concerns about AI-generated performers created entirely from scratch, but allows the use of real actor likenesses under strict conditions.
According to the union’s guidelines, in the event of an actor’s death, permission must be obtained from the actor’s estate or the union.
Writer/director Corte Voorhees and producer John Voorhees said all guidelines were followed.
“We believe we have a role to play in demonstrating how to do it ethically and correctly, especially when working with the estates and families of deceased actors,” they said.
“It was a great shame that his health at the time prevented him from playing this role that spoke to him spiritually and culturally. We are honored to work with his daughter Mercedes, who brings her own filmmaking experience, to bring this character to life in the way we all originally envisioned,” Voorhees added.
