Forget Tilly Norwood … Here Comes A.I. Val Kilmer
Late star set to 'return' via artificial intelligence in new film project
Actors recoil at the thought of Tilly Norwood like Dracula seeing a clump of fresh garlic.
And it’s hard to blame them.
The A.I. “actress” hasn’t starred in a single feature-length film yet, but she represents a technology that, in theory, could make some stars obsolete.
The concept is unsettling for everyone, let alone the people who perform for a living.
Her very existence may never rise above a digital warning. And, chances are, she’ll be beaten to the punch by another A.I. performer who will seem all too familiar to fans.
Like Val Kilmer.
The “Top Gun” star died last April, but he is slated to “return” to theaters via the wonders of artificial intelligence, according to Variety. The actor landed the role of Father Fintan in “As Deep as the Grave” five years before his Dec. 2025 passing, but he was too sick to appear in the project.
He famously battled throat cancer in his final years, a condition that didn’t prevent him from appearing briefly in 2023’s “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Director Coerte Voorhees, with the approval of several members of Kilmer’s family, will use generative A.I. to insert the star’s likeness and voice. His character, a Native American spiritualist, will be seen at various stages of his life.
That’s no problem for A.I., which can use the endless array of images and video of the star to capture him at various ages.
This won’t be a glorified cameo, like the late Peter Cushing appearing in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” The role is considered a significant part of the film, a project co-starring Wes Studi, Tom Felton and Abigail Lawrie.
Speculation over this kind of digital stunt casting isn’t new. Modern stars must wonder how their likenesses might be used in projects after their passing.
That reality is here, but will it actually grace theaters? Could an uprising over the digital casting force the film’s creators to reconsider?
In 2019, a film production vowed to bring back James Dean via digital trickery. That project never came to pass. That was seven years ago, a lifetime in digital advancements.
The question remaining? Will Kilmer’s fans embrace the idea of a new film featuring the talented star, or will this become a cinematic pariah, to be avoided at all costs?