Marathon Cinematic Short Director Says It’s Not AI: “Can’t Believe I Have to Clarify This”

by

Despite the ongoing issues and delays with Bungie’s game, Marathon, it’s somewhat surprising it’s taken this long for questions to arise about one of its key promotional materials. The beautifully made cinematic trailer, directed by Alberto Mielgo – known for his work on Love, Death, and Robots – was a standout part of the game’s initial announcement. Now, people are claiming it used AI-generated art.

I was so relieved to see Mielgo address all the AI talk on Instagram! Honestly, it’s crazy that he even has to explain this, but he made it super clear: this isn’t AI-generated. Everything in the film – the paintings, animations, everything – was made by a massive team of 155 artists working incredibly hard for months. He even admitted their biggest challenge was just time! It’s amazing to know it’s all genuine artistry.

Mielgo admitted he doesn’t know what to think about the technology, but he’s certain that AI won’t diminish the passion and enjoyment he – or anyone – gets from creating art. He believes that fundamental drive to create will always remain.

These concerns are being raised as more video game companies start using artificial intelligence. Recently, US Congressman Ro Khanna criticized the latest Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 for its use of the technology, stating that artists deserve a voice in how AI is implemented, should benefit financially from its use, and that a tax should be considered to address potential job losses.

Although the game Marathon doesn’t appear to use AI-created content, it recently faced criticism for using artwork created by an independent artist—a situation Bungie attributed to a former employee. An update on the game’s release date is expected this fall, but Sony, the game’s publisher, anticipates it will be available by March 31, 2026.

Read More

2025-11-19 16:42