Simu Liu to Star as Wei Shen in Sleeping Dogs Movie

This week, Marvel Cinematic Universe star Simu Liu sparked excitement among Sleeping Dogs fans with a tweet announcing his collaboration with the rights holders to bring the beloved video game to the big screen. However, the project is further along than many realized. 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 story of detective Wei Shen as he infiltrates one of Hong Kong's notorious Triad crime syndicates. Although the game did not meet Square Enix's sales expectations, it has garnered a dedicated fan base and persistent hopes for a sequel.

An earlier attempt to adapt Sleeping Dogs into a film was announced in 2017, with Donnie Yen slated to star. Unfortunately, the project fizzled out a year later, and Yen recently confirmed its cancellation to Polygon. He expressed his deep involvement and disappointment, stating, "I spent a lot of time and did a lot of work with these producers, and I even invested some of my own money into obtaining the drafts and some of the rights. I waited for years. Years. And I really want to do it. I have all these visions in my head, and unfortunately… I don’t know, you know how Hollywood goes, right? I spent many, many years on it. It was an unfortunate thing. Well, on to better things."

Liu's tweet initially caused confusion among fans, but he clarified his intentions in a follow-up statement. He not only aims to bring the Sleeping Dogs movie to life but also hopes to facilitate a sequel game. "So few film projects make it from pitch phase to greenlight," he said. "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."

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IGN can confirm that Story Kitchen is spearheading the Sleeping Dogs live-action feature film project, with Square Enix holding the rights. Story Kitchen has a strong track record in video game adaptations, having contributed to the Sonic the Hedgehog films and Netflix’s animated Tomb Raider series. They are also working on upcoming adaptations like Streets of Rage and It Takes Two for Amazon.

Last year, Story Kitchen announced a film adaptation of Square Enix's Just Cause, directed by Ángel Manuel Soto of Blue Beetle fame. For the Sleeping Dogs project, IGN understands that a writer and a major filmmaker are already attached, though no release date or start of production details have been disclosed yet.

This movie represents a significant revival for Sleeping Dogs, a franchise that saw its video game sequel canceled in late 2013 and its original developer, United Front Games, shut down three years later. Now, more than a decade later, Sleeping Dogs could finally be poised for a much-anticipated revival.