Posted on Sunday, January 4, 2026

Interview: Ben Mauro on Film vs Games, Huxley, AI, and Building Independent IP

By Jean-Eric Hénault

Ben Mauro is one of the rare creatives who has successfully bridged film, games, and independent worldbuilding, contributing to major productions while steadily building his own universe — Huxley. We sat down with Ben to discuss how working across media has shaped his perspective, the evolving power of game technology, the challenges of launching original IP today, and why perseverance remains more essential than ever.

Q: You’ve worked extensively in both film and games. Do you prefer one over the other?

Ben Mauro:
I honestly enjoy both for different reasons. Film projects tend to move very fast — the pace is intense and you see results quickly. Game development, on the other hand, is much more long-term and stable. You’re building something interactive, something people will inhabit, so you need to think about a complete world and how players will experience it. They’re different rhythms, but both are rewarding in their own ways.

Q: How do you see the evolution of visual fidelity in games compared to film?

Ben Mauro:
We’re at a point now where game fidelity has pretty much caught up to film — and in some ways may even surpass it — thanks to engines like Unreal. But while film artists rarely need to worry about technical constraints once something looks good on screen, game teams are constantly optimizing. Performance budgets, memory, interactivity — all of that adds complexity. It’s an incredible achievement where games are visually, but it comes with its own unique challenges.

Q: You’ve said your long-term goal has always been to create your own IP. Where did that motivation come from?

Ben Mauro:
Every job I’ve taken has always been about learning. Working on something like Elysium and going through a full production cycle gave me the confidence that I understood the process well enough to build something myself. That’s always been the goal — absorb as much knowledge as possible from each project, then apply it toward something personal.

Q: Do you think launching a new IP is harder today?

Ben Mauro:
In some ways, yes. AI has made it easier for anyone to create content quickly, so there’s more noise than ever. But that also means creator-owned, genuinely human IPs may stand out more. Just because everyone has access to instruments doesn’t mean everyone becomes a great musician. The same applies here — tools don’t replace vision.

Q: Let’s talk about Huxley. What is it and where is it heading?

Ben Mauro:
Huxley is a post-apocalyptic universe that started as a graphic novel series — the first book is out now. But the vision is much bigger. I see it evolving into games, animation, movies… even different books tailored to suit specific mediums like anime or TV. It actually began very organically, with a character sketch that felt like it belonged to a larger world. Everything grew from that spark.

Q: You chose to self-fund Huxley. Why take that risk?

Ben Mauro:
Creative control. Funding new IP is hard — studios prefer sequels and guaranteed franchises. So I balanced client work with building Huxley myself. It’s stressful, but it lets me maintain ownership and stay true to the vision. The good news is we’re seeing more studios and especially streamers willing to take chances on smaller, original projects now. That’s encouraging.

Q: What have you learned about building teams through this journey?

Ben Mauro:
Efficiency matters more than size. Big teams can lose focus fast — too many layers, too much management. Small teams of passionate, like-minded people who truly understand the vision? That’s powerful. For Huxley, I leaned on trusted collaborators from past projects and tested how well they aligned creatively before committing.

Q: How have social media and crowdfunding changed things?

Ben Mauro:
They make it easier and harder at the same time. You can reach audiences directly, which is amazing. But there’s also so much content now that standing out is tough. For Huxley, I created a cinematic trailer to help people see its potential as a film universe, because sometimes a comic alone isn’t enough for people in the industry to visualize it. Even then, new ideas always face resistance.

Q: What role does AI play in your creative process?

Ben Mauro:
Everyone’s experimenting with AI right now — it’s impossible to ignore. It feels similar to when photobashing or 3D tools changed the concept art space. It can absolutely disrupt workflows, but tools always evolve. At the same time, I still really value physical books and tangible art — maybe even more now that everything is becoming digital. I continue to rely on tools like Blender and ZBrush whenever precision really matters in my designs.

Q: Where do you hope Huxley will be in 5–10 years?

Ben Mauro:
Ideally, a full universe — games, films, TV series, merchandise, everything. The upcoming book releases are a huge milestone, and I think when Huxley becomes widely recognized, it’ll feel like the culmination of years of persistence and belief.

Q: Finally, what advice do you give to aspiring creators?

Ben Mauro:
Don’t give up. You will get rejected. You will hear “no.” But if you keep learning, keep improving, and keep pushing, opportunities eventually come. I’ve lived that personally. Perseverance is everything.

Recent interview with The Art Department Podcast

Editor's Note:

We’d like to thank Ben Mauro for taking the time to speak with //ADAPT ONE and for sharing such insightful perspectives on creativity, independence, and the future of original IP. We’ll be following his journey closely and look forward to seeing where Huxley and his future projects go next.