Val Kilmer Gives Health Update on Throat Cancer in ‘Val’ Documentary Trailer

Val Kilmer reveals his healing journey now that he’s in recovery following a brief battle with throat cancer in the latest trailer for his upcoming documentary Val. The trailer begins with a montage of Kilmer’s home footage before jumping into many behind-the-scenes recordings of his time on the sets of movies like Top Gun and Batman. “I’ve lived a magical life and I’ve captured quite a bit of it,” Kilmer says, via a voiceover delivered by his son, Jack.

“I was the first guy I knew to own a video camera. I have thousands of hours of videotapes and film reels that I’ve shot through my life and career,” he adds, before showing off some of the top-class celebrities he’s worked with in his long career –– which includes a young Kevin Bacon.

The actor makes mention of his throat cancer diagnosis in the trailer, implying that it’s the impetus for the Amazon Prime documentary. “I was recently diagnosed with throat cancer. I’m still recovering, and it is difficult to talk and to be understood. But I want to tell my story more than ever,” he says. Among the footage of Kilmer basking in the benefits of fame, he also shows video of himself aging and using a voice box around his neck, following the cancer. Showing himself trying to speak once cleared of the illness, but it’s obvious that he had a hard time trying to make his voice heard. “I’ve tried to see the world as one piece of life,” he says while sitting in a room inside what looks to be his house.

The trailer closes with the voiceover saying, “It’s a story about my life that is also not my life.” The documentary is scheduled to premiere in theaters on July 23 before landing on the streaming service on Aug. 6.

Kilmer tweeted his excitement for the movie, sharing part of his filming experience. “It feels like yesterday and yet it has been a lifetime. As I write this, my documentary is getting ready to premiere at Festival De Cannes,” he wrote on Tuesday. “And as grateful as I am for being selected with this high honor, I look forward most to sharing my life’s story with all of you.”

He continued: “As a lifelong filmmaker it thrills me to say the film will be in theaters July 23. And as a person who also enjoys getting cozy, I’m possibly more happy that it will be on @PrimeVideo Aug 6. Here’s to giving every day the opportunity to be the most beautiful of your life.”