The long, complicated journey to bring one of gaming’s most celebrated open-world crime thrillers to cinema screens has gained fresh momentum. Simu Liu, best known globally as the star of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has offered an encouraging update on his feature film adaptation of Sleeping Dogs.
Taking to social media to respond directly to inquiries from eager gamers, Liu confirmed that the project is actively advancing through crucial business stages. The production is navigating licensing and partnership talks with the game’s original Japanese publisher, Square Enix.
Resurrecting an Underworld Classic
The path to getting Sleeping Dogs into active development has been remarkably volatile. A previous cinematic attempt starring martial arts icon Donnie Yen languished in development hell for years before Yen confirmed in early 2025 that his iteration was officially dead.
Liu stepped in shortly afterward to take control of the property, securing production backing and stepping into the dual role of leading man and producer. He will star as Wei Shen, a conflicted Chinese-American undercover police officer navigating the violent criminal hierarchy of Hong Kong’s Sun On Yee triad.
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The actor used his personal X account to give fans a clear look at where the production currently stands. “Okay, here it is,” Liu wrote. “We’re moving along really well, we have a director, and a production company, and a REAL path forward. We’re in the dealmaking process with the game studio right now (which is a total fan moment for me because I love Square Enix). Your support is fueling us all!”
okay, here it is. we’re moving along really well, we have a director, and a production company, and a REAL path forward.
we’re just in the dealmaking process with the game studio rn (which is a total fan moment for me bc i love SquareEnix). your support is fuelling us all! https://t.co/1ufLYZab0E
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) August 16, 2026
Assembling the Creative Coalition
The project has established several key creative pieces over the past year. In late 2025, Liu confirmed that the screenwriting team had finished the first draft of the script. Shortly after, the production recruited acclaimed Indonesian action filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto—the director behind The Night Comes for Us and Nobody 2—to helm the feature.
Tjahjanto expressed his dedication to matching the gritty tone of the source material upon joining the project. “This will take time, but we’ll make the best version out of it, cleaver, chopsticks and all,” the director posted when discussing his plans for the film’s brutal combat choreography.
The adaptation is being co-produced by Story Kitchen, an independent production house specialising in video game properties. The company’s official synopsis describes the film as being set against a vibrant, neon-infused neo-noir Hong Kong, focusing on Wei Shen’s internal struggle between his legal duties and his personal ties to childhood companions who have risen within the criminal underworld.
While the film does not yet have a formal production start date or theatrical release window, Liu’s confirmation of active negotiations indicates that the project is closer to reality than at any point in its decade-long development history.
