First trailer released for western starring AI version of Val Kilmer
TL;DR
Footage of As Deep As the Grave screened in the US, featuring an authorised visual deepfake of the actor who died in 2025 A trailer has been released for the first film to star an authorised generative AI version of a major Hollywood actor. Val Kilmer was cast in western As Deep As the Grave before his death in April 2025. Production delays meant he never shot any scenes, but the creative team worked with UK-based company Sonantic to create an AI speaking voice based on his old recordings. Continue reading...
Nauti's Take
Authorized AI use in film opens a genuine creative door — completing works that would otherwise remain unfinished is a compelling case for the technology. The ethical complexity doesn't disappear with authorization: an AI voice is a representation, not the person, and how audiences receive that raises questions the industry hasn't fully resolved.
This is a first-of-its-kind precedent; the standards it sets will matter well beyond this single film.
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