The comments appeared on Threads before being deleted, but not before drawing widespread attention for their unusually harsh assessment of the late “Top Gun” and “Batman Forever” star.
Adam Marcus Revives His Experience Working With Val Kilmer
Marcus revisited his time working with Kilmer on “Conspiracy” through a post that included a behind the scenes photo from the 2008 production. Referring to the actor by two of his most famous roles, he wrote, “#MicroIntellectMonday to that time when I directed that guy. The guy who played Iceman and Doc Holiday [sic]. You know the one.”
The director then turned to his memories of the shoot itself. Sharing the image, Marcus captioned it, “Here’s me and the P*tz working it out on the set of Conspiracy,” signaling that his view of the actor had not softened in the years since they worked together.
Marcus also addressed those who might take issue with speaking negatively about Kilmer following his death in 2025. Rather than backing away from the subject, he doubled down, writing, “And to any of you rolling your eyes because of the whole ‘don’t speak ill of the dead bull**it’, f*** that.”
The filmmaker went on to argue that Kilmer’s alleged behavior would not be tolerated in today’s industry environment. Without detailing specific incidents, Marcus claimed that if the actor “did one-tenth of what he did on my set today, he would have been cancelled in a blink.”
He concluded the post with his harshest assessment yet, describing Kilmer as the “Worst human being I’ve ever known… and that is really saying something.” Although the post was later deleted, the comments quickly spread online and reignited discussion about Kilmer’s reputation behind the scenes during various stages of his career.
“Conspiracy” marked the only collaboration between Marcus and the late performer. Released in 2008, the action thriller starred Kilmer as William MacPherson, a wounded former Marine who arrives in a small Southwestern town searching for a missing friend, only to uncover a deeper mystery. Jennifer Esposito, Gary Cole, and Greg Serano rounded out the cast. The film was released directly to DVD and received largely negative reviews from critics.