In a nutshell

• The film adaptation, believed to have been canned, is now said to be in development. Simu Liu is set to play Wei Shen in the lead role.
• Story Kitchen is leading the project, with Square Enix as the rights holder.
• Simu Liu aims to revive the franchise, starting with the movie and potentially leading to a sequel game.

With recent reports stating how the Sleeping Dogs project has been canned years after its first announcement in 2017, a new report has now popped up that it is back in development thanks to the efforts of Simu Liu.

According to IGN, the Sleeping Dogs movie adaptation is officially in development, and Marvel Cinematic Universe star Simu Liu is set to play the lead role of Wei Shen. Liu, known for his role as Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, will not only star in the film but also produce it.

The original movie adaptation was announced in 2017. Donnie Yen was set to star in it, but it was recently revealed by Yen himself that the project was scrapped a year later.

Story Kitchen, a company with a strong track record in video game adaptations such as the Sonic the Hedgehog films and Netflix’s animated Tomb Raider series, is leading the project.

“So few film projects make it from pitch phase to greenlight. 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,” expressed Simu Liu as he is working closely with the rights holders to bring the game to the big screen.

The game tells the story of detective Wei Shen as he infiltrates one of Hong Kong’s notorious Triad crime syndicates. It was first released back in 2012 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, and has garnered a dedicated fanbase and has been much-loved for its engaging storyline.

Will you watch this?