The late actor Val Kilmer is resurrected in a movie trailer via artificial intelligence technology, in a film marketing milestone. Kilmer, who died a year ago and is famous for his “Top Gun” roles, is re-created for independent-made western “As Deep as the Grave” (trailer screen grab with Kilmer above).
“The footage includes Kilmer at various ages — at one point, he’s a spectral, ghost-like figure; at another, he’s a dashing, 30-something man of the cloth,” says a Variety article by Brent Lang. “Don’t fear the dead and don’t fear me,” Kilmer is shown telling a child on screen (that’s seizing an opportunity to stand out!).
The film, which is not yet audience-classified and does not have a premiere date, is based on a true story of a pioneering female archeologist who recorded Navajo culture in 1920s New Mexico. Kilmer was cast to portray a priest, but illness prevented him from actually working on-camera.
His family has blessed his AI-generated appearance, was provided financial compensation and provided archival material for his generative reincarnation (apparently, the AI Kilmer character will be prominent in the film).
Hollywood talent is alarmed about AI’s potential to replace real-life humans, while employers — film companies — seem eager to embrace it, hoping to reduce labor costs. Hollywood labor unions are making restrictions of implementing AI key demands in industry contract negotiations. Among the myriad unresolved issues: Are AI creations eligible for industry awards such as the Oscars?
In late 2025, a spooky-real-looking actress Tilly Norwood was unveiled, who was manufactured with AI. The reception in Hollywood was a combination of awe, contempt, curiosity and fear.
In other wings of industry, however, there’s acceptance to get on the bandwagon early. “The thing I’ve learned about technology is if you don’t get a little bit of understanding from the very beginning, it just speeds past you,” actress/producer Reese Witherspoon posted on Instagram.
Legal issues are also murky. For example, copyright ownership can only be held by humans or corporations, not computer software. A work-around is attributing a generative AI creation to a specific human involved somewhere in the invention process.
How AI impacts talent is yet to be seen, but a guidepost is the unexpected way that computer generated imagery (GGI) impacted animated movies. The initial prediction is CGI would spark a tsunami of inexpensive CGI movies, but that didn’t happen. While CGI reduced costs versus hand-drawn cartoons, audience tastes demanded high quality, so fast-and-cheap did not become a huge trend.
One film project is already claiming benefit from AI efficiencies. The technology helped create a mainstream Hollywood movie, “Bitcoin: Killing Satoshi,” that was produced for $70 million; its makers saying the cost would have been $300 million without the new technology.
How AI evolves in Hollywood is object of many predictions, but the reality is yet to be seen.
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