In March 2026, First Line Films agreed to use a generative AI–reconstructed performance by Val Kilmer in As Deep as the Grave. Kilmer passed away on April 1, 2025. He had been cast as Father Fintan as early as 2015 but did not film due to health issues.

The agreement, approved by his estate and his children, Mercedes and Jack Kilmer, allows the production to use his likeness and voice. The system is trained on private photos and footage from earlier in his career. The goal is to create a new performance tied to the original role he was cast for.

The deal involves First Line Films, led by Coerte Voorhees and John Voorhees, and the Estate of Val Kilmer, represented by Mercedes Kilmer.

The production follows 2026 SAG-AFTRA rules, which require consent from authorized representatives for digital replicas of deceased performers. The estate is compensated for likeness rights and access to archival material.

The production is completing a role Kilmer had already committed to, using licensed likeness and voice rights. This allows the film to retain the original casting and creative direction.

Comparable examples include the use of Ian Holm’s likeness in Alien: Romulus (2024) and James Earl Jones licensing his voice for Darth Vader in 2022. This project differs in using generative AI to build a full performance.

The deal requires clear rights to archival material used for training. This includes image, voice, and prior footage.

Estates are directly involved in approvals and licensing. Vendors working on the project must meet requirements around likeness accuracy and rights compliance.

This adds legal and technical checks across production, VFX, and post.

This type of deal depends on estate approval, clear rights to archival data, and alignment with guild rules.

It allows producers to move forward on projects where casting was set but not completed.

Similar structures may appear in other projects where prior talent commitments exist and usable archival material is available.