Simu Liu to Star as Wei Shen in Sleeping Dogs Movie

Exciting news has emerged for fans of the acclaimed video game, Sleeping Dogs. Marvel Cinematic Universe star Simu Liu recently took to Twitter to announce his involvement in bringing this beloved game to the big screen. However, the project is further along than initially suggested. According to a source close to the project who spoke to IGN, a Sleeping Dogs movie is indeed in development, with Simu Liu not only producing but also set to star as the lead character, Wei Shen. IGN has reached out to Square Enix for further comments on this development.

Originally released in 2012 across PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, Sleeping Dogs immerses players in the story of detective Wei Shen, who goes undercover to infiltrate one of Hong Kong's notorious Triad crime syndicates. Despite failing to meet Square Enix's high sales expectations, the game garnered a dedicated fanbase and sparked ongoing hopes for a sequel.

Sleeping Dogs is set for a wake-up call with a movie adaptation. Image credit: Square Enix. The game's journey to the screen has been fraught with challenges. An earlier adaptation was announced in 2017, with Donnie Yen slated to star. However, the project fizzled out a year later, and Yen recently confirmed its cancellation to Polygon, expressing his disappointment and the significant effort he had invested into the project.

When Simu Liu announced his involvement, it initially caused some confusion among fans. Liu clarified his ambitions in a follow-up statement, expressing his desire to not only bring the Sleeping Dogs movie to life but also to spearhead a sequel to the original 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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11 ImagesIGN has confirmed that Story Kitchen is leading the charge on the Sleeping Dogs live-action feature film, with Square Enix holding the rights. Story Kitchen has a solid track record in video game adaptations, having contributed to projects like the Sonic the Hedgehog films and Netflix’s animated Tomb Raider series. They are also currently working on adaptations of 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. While details on the Sleeping Dogs project remain under wraps, IGN understands that it has a writer and a major filmmaker attached, though no release date or production start date has been set yet.

The Sleeping Dogs movie represents a significant revival for the franchise, which saw its planned video game sequel canceled in late 2013 and its developer, United Front Games, shut down three years later. Now, over a decade later, Sleeping Dogs could finally be set for a much-anticipated wake-up call.