A new exclusive clip from As Deep as the Grave brings back the young Val Kilmer through AI. FirstLine Films has released seven minutes of footage, offering fans an early look at his digitally recreated likeness and performance.
The fully AI-generated clip focuses on Val Kilmer taking center stage in the film. Kilmer appears as a younger version of himself, portraying Father Fintan, a priest in 1904. The clip shows Father Fintan facing a difficult moral question. He wants to establish a new church but must also consider the spiritual history of the Navajo people.
The clip also shows Fintan building a relationship with Seechi (Tatanka Means) and introduces a Navajo elder played by former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez. He becomes an important guide for Father Fintan as the priest explores the region and its history.
What to know about As Deep as the Grave and its 1904 story
As Deep as the Grave follows the true story of Ann Axtell Morris, widely regarded as North America’s first female archaeologist. She and her husband, archaeologist Earl H. Morris, worked with the Navajo in 1920s Arizona. Together, they explored Canyon de Chelly while searching for evidence of North America’s first civilization, known as the Ancestral Puebloans, or Anasazi.
The newly released clip features young Father Fintan in 1904. His moral journey connects with the film’s broader story. Coerte Voorhees, director of the film, used AI to complete Kilmer’s scenes with the cooperation of Kilmer’s family estate and the support of his children. Voorhees penned the script and also produced the film along with John Voorhees.
The film stars Abigail Lawrie and Tom Felton as Ann and Earl Morris, along with Hanako Footman, Ewen Bremner, Tatanka Means, Wes Studi, Finn Jones, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd and Abigail Breslin.
Kilmer, famous for iconic roles in Top Gun and Batman Forever, passed away at age 65 from pneumonia on April 1, 2025.
As Deep as the Grave is scheduled for release later in 2026.
This article was originally reported by Manoj Chekkilla on ComingSoon.
