Entertainment

Val Kilmer AI Movie First Footage Revealed from ‘As Deep as the Grave’

Published

3 hours ago

August 19, 2026

“As Deep as the Grave,” a historical drama that has generated headlines for featuring a performance from an AI version of the late Val Kilmer, has released nearly seven minutes of footage highlighting what the controversial technology has created.

In an IndieWire-exclusive clip, the AI-generated Kilmer’s character, Father Fintan, searches the Navajo Reservation with his “guide” (Jonathan Nez, former president of the Navajo Nation) for the origin of bad spirits poisoning the land. The scenes take place in the early 20th century, as Father Fintan tries to raise money to build a new church by collecting artifacts.

Kilmer, who died in 2025 after battling throat cancer, had originally been cast in “As Deep as the Grave” and was excited to appear in the film because it was set in the American Southwest, where he made his home in New Mexico. COVID delays and Kilmer’s illness prevented him from ever appearing on set. However, Kilmer’s family, including his children Mercedes and Jack, approved using AI to create a digital version of their father for the film. The production relied on SAG guidelines and compensated Kilmer’s estate for his appearance.

INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER, (aka INSIDIOUS 6), Amelia Eve, 2026. ph: Sarah Enticknap / © Sony Pictures Releasing / courtesy Everett Collection

“We hope that we’re helping to lay the groundwork for how to do this properly,” said Coerte Voorhees, the film’s writer and director. “This process is about consent, collaboration, and compensation.”

The generated Kilmer we see on screen resembles the actor at the height of his 1990s fame. Voorhees said he studied Kilmer’s work in films like “Heat,” “Batman Forever,” and “Tombstone” to craft the performance.

“We are trying to be the best students of Val to construct this art creation of Val,” he said. “I have literally watched ‘Heat’ 10 times. There was a moment going through the footage where I saw Val walking and it was just like Doc Holliday.”

John Voorhees, the indie film’s producer and Coerte’s brother, argued the work with AI “makes the performance as true as possible to what Val wanted for this character, and that gets down to the way he grins, the way he has a very narrow stare, all of the things that make him such a powerful cinematic presence. My brother actually spends tons of time making sure that the digital performance is accurate right down to the mole on the left side of Val’s jawbone.”

'As Deep as the Grave' — ‘As Deep as the Grave’FirstLine Films

Coerte Voorhees selected the scenes because they highlight the younger version of Father Fintan and because of their dramatic arc. “In the seven-minute sweep, you see that he’s wrestling with two identities — he’s a Catholic priest, but he has Cherokee heritage,” Coerte Voorhees said. “He’s conflicted.”

The AI-generated Kilmer will appear in “the ballpark” of an hour and 17 minutes of a film that currently clocks in at over three hours. The project uses both younger images of Kilmer, many of them provided from his personal archive by his family, and footage from his final years to show his character over several decades. The audio also utilizes recordings of Kilmer’s voice, which, in his later life, was damaged by a tracheal procedure. “As Deep as the Grave” combines the AI elements with filmed sequences involving a cast that includes Abigail Lawrie, Tom Felton, Wes Studi, and Abigail Breslin.

After premiering a trailer for the film last spring at CinemaCon, Coerte Voorhees said he’s spent most of the summer working on the Kilmer scenes. “It’s been about fleshing out the character and his backstory,” he said. “It’s a lot of work. Right up until the release of this clip, there was a version where Val looked slightly older in some shots and slightly younger in others, so you just have to go through and really make it consistent. Every beat counts.”

Despite its groundbreaking use of AI, “As Deep as the Grave” is a low-budget endeavor. But the technology is relatively affordable — John Voorhees pegs the cost in “the thousands.” “It’s remarkably inexpensive, and that’s helpful because we’re independent filmmakers,” Coerte Voorhees said. “We’re not on some huge studio budget.”

The brothers say that they’ve had a lot of interest from buyers and have ideas about what might make a good home for the film. “We’ve had meetings with the streamers, and they’re learning from us about how we’re doing this because we’re still the only film that has an A-list celebrity who’s given his consent to be an AI character,” John Voorhes said. “Nobody’s done AI characters on screen in this way, so this is something that’s still new for them. We would like ultimately to find a home with a streamer that wants to use this film as an example of a well-done generative AI performance combined with actual in-camera footage.”

And the brothers think that the estates of other celebrities might benefit from these types of productions. “We do love people from the past, and we want to stay connected to them,” said John Voorhees. “But it has to be done with consent and compensation. It has to be done right.”

Watch the exclusive clip below.

Entertainment

Larry David Recalls ‘Dust-Up’ With Trump Lawyer Alan Dershowitz

Published

14 seconds ago

August 19, 2026

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Larry David finally expanded on his heated fallout with former friend and Trump lawyer Alan Dershowitz, in part detailing the infamous 2021 argument in Martha’s Vineyard in which he called the litigator “disgusting.”

David explained his thoughts on ending their friendship in a new profile of Dershowitz for The Atlantic, citing when the lawyer joined President Donald Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” creator and star said Dershowitz made a “deal with the devil” that led to their friendship coming to a close.

“I don’t know why he’s still thinking and talking about me,” David said. “I have lots of confrontations on my show but rarely in life. And then only if I think I can take them in a fight. Hence the Dershowitz dust-up.”

He added: “I’m loath to say anything mean because he’s been so ostracized. But he only has himself to blame. He made a deal with the devil. Literally. And I’d bet the devil hasn’t said a word to him since the impeachment.”

Dershowitz also acknowledged the falling out in his conversation with The Atlantic, saying, “Larry David doesn’t talk to me anymore. He screams and yells at me when he sees me.”

Left: Eric Trump (Romain Maurice/Getty Images), Right: Natalie Harp (Ken Cedeno/AFP via Getty Images)

News first broke of the Martha’s Vineyard confrontation in 2022 when Dershowitz spoke to The New Yorker.

“What happened is — it’s interesting because I was having lunch with a very radical lawyer who loves me. I mean, he disagrees with me. We argue all the time … So I was having lunch with him and then a number of other people were there. Suddenly, Larry David walks in to buy some groceries. I say, ‘Hey. Hi, Larry,’ and he turns away, and he just walks away,” he said at the time. “I say, ‘Larry, can’t we at least talk?’ He said, ‘No. You’re disgusting.’”

Dershowitz was further hurt following the death of his son Elon when David chose not to send his condolences. David told The Atlantic that he wishes he had reached out despite them not talking.

“I certainly regret not [reaching out],” David said. “As I said on ‘Curb’ once, ‘I think of nice things. I just don’t act on them.’”

movies

Chris Hansen Questions “Hollywood’s Motive” With A24’s ‘Primetime’

Published

2 minutes ago

August 19, 2026

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As Chris Hansen gets the A24 treatment with Primetime, he’s keeping an open mind.

The former host of To Catch a Predator recently confirmed he’s “going to see” the Lance Oppenheim-helmed thriller, which stars Robert Pattinson as Hansen, after the film’s team invited him to a private screening.

“We had heard that this was in the works. A couple months ago, they came out and said, ‘Hey, look, we’re doing this. We’d like you to have some sort of consideration in terms of helping us with this.’ I haven’t seen it,” he said on the Serialously podcast. “I’m going to get a private screening in the next week or so and then I’ll be able to tell you whether I like it or don’t like it, and how dramatized it is.”

Hansen added, “My suspicion is that they used my name because it helps in a commercial enterprise. And until I see the full movie, I as a reporter—it’s sort of silly for me to talk about something that I haven’t seen yet. So, I’m going to see it.”

Noting he’s “seen the trailer” for the Ajon Singh-penned film, Hansen said it “looks very dramatic.”

“But again, I’ve been busy being the real Chris Hansen, so I don’t have a lot of time to focus on the fake Chris Hansen,” he said of Pattinson. “I know that he’s a very popular actor. I know that the director is a popular guy, but I also have some questions. What’s Hollywood’s motive here? We don’t know, but I’ll find out and I’ll promise I’ll let you know.”

With Pattinson playing him, Hansen explained he “didn’t get to choose my own guy here,” revealing who he had in mind. “I had discussions years ago—I had crafted a script, and I thought Dennis Leary would be a good guy to play me, depending on the age of it all,” he said.

Premiering Sept. 25 in theaters, Primetime follows Chris Hansen (Pattinson) as he attempts to make television history with NBC’s To Catch a Predator (2004-’07), a hidden camera show that set up stings for adult men seeking sex from minors online.

Entertainment

Charlie Hunnam and ‘Sons of Anarchy’ Cast to Reunite in FX and Hulu Meta Thriller ‘Legends’

Published

7 minutes ago

August 19, 2026

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A new series set in the “Sons of Anarchy” universe has been ordered at FX. “Legends” is a meta limited series that will follow the cast of “Sons of Anarchy” reuniting at a fan convention. The series will premiere on FX and Hulu.

The series comes from Charlie Hunnam and Jonathan Groff and is executive produced by Rob Mac, Nicholas Frenkel and Jackie Cohn. “Sons of Anarchy” castmembers Ron Perlman, Katey Sagal, Maggie Siff, Mark Boone Junior, Tommy Flanagan, Kim Coates and Theo Rossi will also star in the series and will play themselves. The series will be produced by FX Productions and 20th Television.

“When Charlie brought us this inspired idea, we instantly sparked to his bold and entertaining vision,” said Nick Grad, president of FX Entertainment. “Charlie’s talents are on full display as a writer, performer and executive producer, leading the real-life brotherhood on an adventure that is both a love letter to the series and a fun meta twist on what fans think they know.”

More to come …