Simu Liu has reached a major milestone in his mission to resurrect the ‘Sleeping Dogs’ film adaptation. The actor, best known for Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the first draft of the movie’s script is complete.
Script Complete, Studio Hurdles Remain
Liu celebrated the update by posting a picture of himself with his dog, humorously acknowledging the title of the game.
The news is a significant step for the project, which Liu took over after its initial development stalled. The original film adaptation, first announced in 2017 with Donnie Yen attached to star as undercover cop Wei Shen, eventually languished and was abandoned earlier this year.
Liu, an avid video game fan, has been instrumental in reviving the property, stepping in to star and produce the film.
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When a fan inquired about the project’s status, Liu shared that the business side of Hollywood remains the primary obstacle. He confirmed that publishers are on board, but not studios.
“They’re absolutely great — it’s the studios that don’t seem to understand how important this IP is, BUT we will get them there,” Liu stated in a reply.
in honour of our sleeping dogs script draft being done, here’s my sleepy dog pic.twitter.com/l1KsFNDj5V
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) October 18, 2025
The Long Road to Production
‘Sleeping Dogs’ has a complicated history in Hollywood. Donnie Yen had remained enthusiastic about the original project for years, revealing in early 2025 that he had “even invested my own money in the project before it was abandoned.”
The game itself, released by Square Enix in 2012, has achieved cult classic status. It follows undercover officer Wei Shen as he infiltrates the Sun On Yee Triad organization in Hong Kong, combining a compelling story core with tight martial-arts combat.
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Liu’s successful completion of the script draft now allows the production team to move into the crucial phase of securing a studio deal and attaching a director. With the script done, the push to greenlight the big-screen adaptation of the underrated favorite can continue.
