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Simu Liu Confirms Sleeping Dogs Movie Script Completed

Posted by Brandan Taylor on

Simu Liu has confirmed that the first draft of the Sleeping Dogs movie script is complete. On October 18, 2025, he shared the update on his official Twitter account, posting a photo of his dog with the caption, “in honour of our sleeping dogs script draft being done, here’s my sleepy dog,” which immediately drew attention from fans of the 2012 video game.

Liu first announced his plans to adapt Sleeping Dogs in January 2025, revealing his intent to bring the popular action game to film. The project is connected to the entertainment company Story Kitchen, and Liu is set to portray the game’s protagonist, Wei Shen, an undercover police officer tasked with infiltrating Hong Kong’s Triads.

The film is based on the 2012 open-world action game Sleeping Dogs, developed by United Front Games and published by Square Enix for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Released in August 2012, the game takes place in Hong Kong and combines martial arts combat with a narrative centered on crime and loyalty within the city’s underworld. Praised for its fluid combat system, detailed setting, and immersive story, the game achieved critical success. Although United Front Games began work on a sequel and an online spinoff titled Triad Wars, both projects were canceled before the studio closed in 2016.

Responding to a fan on Twitter, Liu stated that Square Enix has been “absolutely great” regarding the movie’s development, but explained that the main challenge has been convincing Hollywood studios of the importance and potential of the Sleeping Dogs intellectual property. He expressed confidence that the project is moving in a positive direction.

This is not the first attempt to adapt Sleeping Dogs into a film. In 2017, actor and martial artist Donnie Yen announced that he would star as Wei Shen in a movie version and confirmed in February 2018 that it was in development. However, in early January 2025, Yen revealed that the project had been officially canceled, explaining that he had invested both time and personal funds before production stalled. Only weeks later, Simu Liu announced his own adaptation, ready to take a new gamble on reviving the franchise.

Liu has not disclosed who wrote the screenplay or which production studio is involved, nor has he provided information about filming schedules or a potential release date. Following his October announcement, fans responded enthusiastically, sharing animations, fight scenes, and favorite memories from the original game, demonstrating continued interest in the franchise.

The Sleeping Dogs movie joins a growing list of video game adaptations moving forward in film and television. Recent successes such as The Last of Us and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, along with Fallout’s confirmed second season and the upcoming Minecraft movie, show the increasing popularity of game-based storytelling in mainstream media.