The long-gestating live-action adaptation of the cult-classic video game Sleeping Dogs is finally showing signs of life, with Indonesian filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto reportedly stepping in as director and Marvel star Simu Liu attached to star as the lead character, undercover cop Wei Shen.
Originally released in 2012 by United Front Games and published by Square Enix, Sleeping Dogs became a beloved open-world action title set in a vibrant recreation of Hong Kong. Players controlled Wei Shen, a San Francisco cop embedded in the Sun On Yee Triad, blending high-octane martial arts combat, driving, and a gripping undercover narrative inspired by classic Hong Kong crime films like Infernal Affairs and John Woo’s action epics.
The project has endured a turbulent development history. First announced in 2017 with action icon Donnie Yen attached to star as Wei Shen, the film stalled for years despite Yen’s enthusiasm and even his personal investment. Indonesian director Timo Tjahjanto was tapped to helm the project in late 2024, bringing his signature intense, visceral action style from films like The Night Comes for Us (a brutal Netflix thriller often compared to Sleeping Dogs for its themes and aesthetics), Headshot, and segments of the V/H/S anthology series. However, by early 2025, Yen confirmed the original iteration was no longer moving forward.
Enter Simu Liu. The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star, a self-professed fan of the game, took up the cause in early 2025, publicly expressing his frustration with studio executives who “don’t understand the game” and his determination to revive it. Liu, who is also producing through his involvement with rights holders Square Enix and production company Story Kitchen (known for video game adaptations like Sonic the Hedgehog), shared updates on social media, including a photo of the completed script draft in October 2025, written by Tze Chun (Gotham). He teased ambitions beyond just a movie, dreaming of “a sequel game for everyone.”
Social media interactions between Liu and Tjahjanto— including the director sharing script pages and lamenting past development hurdles—fueled speculation that Tjahjanto has officially boarded the new version. Tjahjanto’s expertise in high-impact, grindhouse-style action makes him an ideal fit to capture the game’s brutal melee combat and gritty underworld atmosphere, while Liu’s charisma, martial arts training, and rising star power position him as a fresh, modern take on Wei Shen.
As of late 2025, the project remains in pre-production, with no official release date announced. Challenges persist—video game adaptations often face studio skepticism—but Liu’s momentum and Tjahjanto’s involvement have reignited excitement among fans who have waited over a decade for this Hong Kong crime saga to hit the big screen.
If successful, Sleeping Dogs could join the wave of strong video game films like Sonic, The Last of Us, and Arcane, proving that cult favorites with passionate backing can finally break through. For now, the sleeping dog is stirring—and it looks ready to bite.
