MOVIE NEWS – The movie adaptation of Sleeping Dogs, the Hong Kong open-world crime game often compared to GTA, has finally gathered serious momentum again under Simu Liu after years in development hell. A director, production company, and screenplay are now in place, but one essential agreement still needs to be finalized before the project can properly move forward.
Few video game adaptations have spent as much time struggling to escape development hell as Sleeping Dogs. A movie based on Square Enix’s 2012 cult favorite was originally announced in 2017 with Donnie Yen attached to star, but that version slowly disappeared after years without meaningful progress, and Yen finally confirmed in early 2025 that it was effectively dead. Around the same time, however, Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu stepped in and began pursuing a new, smaller-scale adaptation designed to remain closely connected to the game.
Since then, the new version has accumulated some important pieces. Timo Tjahjanto, whose action credits include Nobody 2 and The Night Comes for Us, is attached to direct, while Story Kitchen has joined the project after working on the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise and several other video game adaptations. Liu also announced in fall 2025 that a screenplay draft had been completed, meaning the creative side of this attempt is already substantially further along than the previous Donnie Yen version was for much of its existence.
One Essential Deal Still Stands Between Sleeping Dogs and Production
The next major hurdle is finalizing an agreement with rights holder Square Enix. In his latest update, Liu said things are moving well, with a director, production partner, and a clear path for the project already established, while negotiations with the company behind the game are now being completed. That does not mean the movie has collapsed again, but it also cannot simply move into production because the creative team is ready: the necessary business and licensing arrangements surrounding the Sleeping Dogs property still have to be locked down. Liu has emphasized that he is personally a major Square Enix fan and has credited the gaming community’s continued enthusiasm with helping give the project momentum.
No filming date or release window has been announced yet, although Liu is expected to serve as a producer and take on the role of Wei Shen, the undercover police officer who infiltrates Hong Kong’s criminal underworld in the original game. If the negotiations with Square Enix are successfully completed, casting the remaining roles and moving toward actual production would become the obvious next steps. Liu has also made it clear that his ambitions extend beyond a single movie: his long-term dream is to revive Sleeping Dogs on the big screen first and then use that renewed interest to help push for a true sequel to the game itself.
Source: 3DJuegos
