This week, fans of the beloved video game *Sleeping Dogs* were thrilled when Marvel Cinematic Universe star Simu Liu announced via Twitter that he was collaborating with the rights holders to bring the game to the big screen. However, the project is further along than initially suggested. A source close to the development has confirmed to IGN that a *Sleeping Dogs* movie is indeed in the works, with Liu not only producing but also set to star as the lead character, Wei Shen. IGN has reached out to Square Enix for further comment on this exciting development.
Originally released in 2012 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, *Sleeping Dogs* follows the gripping tale of detective Wei Shen as he goes undercover to infiltrate one of Hong Kong's notorious Triad crime syndicates. Despite not meeting Square Enix's sales expectations, the game has garnered a dedicated fanbase and sparked hopes for a sequel ever since.
The journey to bring *Sleeping Dogs* to the screen has been fraught with challenges. An initial adaptation was announced in 2017, with Donnie Yen slated to star, but the project vanished a year later. Yen recently confirmed to Polygon that the film had been scrapped, expressing his disappointment and the significant personal investment he had made in the project.
Simu Liu's announcement caused some confusion among fans, but he clarified his intentions in a follow-up statement, expressing his determination to see the project through and even hinting at his ambition to help develop a sequel to the original game. "So few film projects make it from pitch phase to greenlight," Liu stated. "Pitching execs who don’t understand the game has been tiring. Everyone’s overwhelming love of Sleeping Dogs here has really given us life! First a movie, then a sequel game for everyone… that’s always been the dream."
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Who's Who in the Cast
IGN can reveal that Story Kitchen is spearheading the *Sleeping Dogs* live-action feature film project, with Square Enix as the rights holder. Story Kitchen has a proven track record in video game adaptations, having worked on projects like the *Sonic the Hedgehog* films and Netflix’s animated *Tomb Raider* series. They are also currently involved in the upcoming *Streets of Rage* adaptation and an adaptation of *It Takes Two* for Amazon.
Last year, Story Kitchen announced a film adaptation of Square Enix's *Just Cause*, with *Blue Beetle* director Ángel Manuel Soto attached. IGN understands that the *Sleeping Dogs* project has a writer and a major filmmaker on board, though no release date or production start date has been announced yet.
This movie marks a significant revival for *Sleeping Dogs*, which saw its planned video game sequel canceled in late 2013 before production could begin, and its original developer, United Front Games, shut down three years later. Now, over a decade later, *Sleeping Dogs* could finally be set for a much-anticipated wake-up call.
