March 22, 2026, 7:37 am | Read time: 2 minutes

The use of AI has been a topic of discussion in the film industry for some time. Many fear that real actors could be replaced by digital versions. Director Coerte Voorhees’ decision is likely to fuel this debate further. He plans to virtually bring Kilmer back and give him a larger role in the film. According to the U.S. industry magazine “Variety,” Kilmer was already slated for the role of Father Fintan in 2020. However, due to a throat cancer diagnosis, he was unable to film at that time.

Approval from Family and Management

Voorhees explains that the role was specifically written for Kilmer. Since the production’s budget is insufficient to film the scenes with another actor, he is now turning to AI. Importantly, both the actor’s management and family have approved the endeavor. The production is also paying a fee for the use.

Here you will find content from third-party providers

To interact with or display third-party content, we need your consent.

Activate

In order to display embedded content, your consent to the processing of personal data, which can be revoked at any time (via the switch or via “Revoke tracking and cookies” at the bottom of the page), is required. Data may be transferred to third countries such as the USA (Art. 49 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). By switching to “on” you agree. You can find more information here.

According to the report, Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes emphasizes that the film’s story was important to her father. It centers on an archaeologist couple researching the history of the Navajo people in Arizona. Additionally, Kilmer was open to new technologies. In 2022, he collaborated with the company Sonantic to create an AI version of his voice. After his illness, he could no longer speak clearly and was grateful for this technological solution, according to his daughter.

Also of interest: How to Check if Your Photo is Being Used for Deepfakes

Technology to Connect Real Fates

The team is using various image sources for the film. These include footage from Kilmer’s younger years and material from shortly before his death. His voice is also to be digitally reconstructed. This aligns with the plot: The character Father Fintan falls ill with tuberculosis during the story and can barely speak by the end.

Director Voorhees sees a connection between the role and the actor’s real life. He emphasizes that he wants to demonstrate a responsible use of AI with the project. His goal is to show how technology can be used in film without crossing ethical boundaries.