Five-World Sci-Fi Saga Kri8 Universe Heads to Toronto Market
A five-world science-fiction universe built independently over 14 years is heading to Toronto to look for studio, licensing and strategic partners. The project, called Kri8 Universe, will launch at TIFF: The Market, the industry market attached to the Toronto International Film Festival where sellers meet buyers and financiers, according to Variety. Its creator is production designer and filmmaker Uzair Merchant.
Merchant has worked on Deadpool 2, Fast & Furious 7, Star Trek Beyond and the television series Superman & Lois, according to Variety. He has received more than 40 international honours across film, television, music and emerging media. The new universe was developed through his bKREATIV Prods. and the Kreativ Lab.
The story is organised across five linked worlds titled Elixir of Life, Black Rose, the 8th Sin, Skye and Vault X. They are anchored by 16 original characters. The plan is for the same mythology to stretch across film, television, publishing, music, gaming, digital platforms, artificial intelligence, digital assets and immersive formats such as location-based experiences, according to Variety.
The mythology mixes technology and myth. It touches on artificial intelligence, genetics and cloning, immortality and consciousness, water scarcity, destiny and identity, alongside spiritual and ancient mythic threads. The music blends Arabic sounds, hip-hop and Bollywood influences, while the characters draw on Arab, Indian and African cultures.
Some material already exists. That includes three published books, nine original soundtracks, films, screenplays, music videos and games, according to Variety. The company says the work released so far has passed 1.1 million views and won more than 30 international awards.
Merchant co-founded K2 Media Capital with Gayathiri Guliani to steer the commercial rollout. The Toronto launch is aimed at global licensing, studio and strategic partnerships rather than a single film sale. In plain terms, licensing means other companies pay for the right to use the characters and worlds in products, shows or games.
For fans, this means Toronto is the shop window, not the premiere. The official Kri8verse site sums up the pitch with the tagline "Every Universe Starts With A Story," describing the project as Hollywood-style retro science fiction mixed with myth and noir, according to Kri8verse. No release dates or attached studios have been announced.
