Recreate His Voice in 'Top Gun: Maverick', Val Kilmer Uses AI Technology

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After his first role as Lt. Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in the 1986 film Top Gun , Val Kilmer rejoins the sequel Top Gun: Maverick . In this 2022 film, the 62-year-old actor now plays an admiral.

According to The New York Times Magazine , Kilmer developed throat cancer in 2014. After going through several treatments, including a tracheotomy, he lost his voice. Kilmer publicly confirmed his diagnosis in 2017 after dismissing several reports of his illness.

Last year, the actor worked with London-based tech company Sonantic to use an artificial intelligence (AI) system to recreate his iconic voice for the sequel. Sonantic used an old recording of Kilmer's voice to make it look as if he was speaking in a movie.

In an August interview with People , Kilmer's son, Jack Kilmer, said his father was very excited about the project.

"They respected the Iceman legacy, and he (his father) was blown away by it," said Jack Kilmer.

In the same interview, the film's producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, said Tom Cruise was the driving force behind Kilmer's return for a sequel.

"He said, 'We have to take Val, we have to get him back. We have to have him in the movies,'" Bruckheimer told People .

"And he was the driving force. We all wanted him, but Tom was absolutely adamant that if he wanted to make another Top Gun , Val had to be in it."

Bruckheimer continued about Kilmer's figure, "He's a really good actor, and he's a great individual. We had a lot of fun in the first one and wanted to reunite some of the gang."

producers Top Gun added that when Kilmer arrived on set to do some shooting with Cruise, it was a very emotional experience for all of us.