Timo Tjahjanto (Beekeeper 2, The Shadow Strays, The Night Comes for Us) is currently developing a film adaptation of Square Enix’s hit video game Sleeping Dogs.
The upcoming thriller will star Simu Liu (Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as Wei Shen, an undercover cop who infiltrates the Triads in an action packed mix of martial arts mayhem, high speed car chases, boat pursuits, and gunplay.
A longtime fan of the 2012 video game, Liu took to social media in early 2025 to gauge interest. Since then, Liu has helped secure a production company (Story Kitchen), completed a screenplay draft, and brought Tjahjanto on board.
In a recent post on X, Tjahjanto gave us a brief update: “Since a lot of you is asking what’s the update on Sleeping Dogs. Trust me when I say Simu and I are doing our best to slowly make this come into fruition. Trying to stay as loyal to Wei Shen’s tale while adding layers to make the narrative more fitting into a feature film is not an easy task. We’re taking our time to make the best version of Sleeping Dogs the movie.
🔥 Footnote: Martial arts star Donnie Yen (John Wick 4, The Prosecutor) was once attached to Sleeping Dogs, but after years stuck in development hell, Yen eventually declared he was “on to better things.” Among those projects is the upcoming John Wick spinoff, in which he will reprise his role as Caine while also stepping behind the camera to direct.
We’ll keep you updated as Sleeping Dogs continues to take shape. Until then, here’s a reminder of what Liu brings to the table in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings:
Sleeping Dogs live-action trailer:
That’s great and all, but we already have a Sleeping Dogs movie with Donnie Yen. Its called Special ID, lol!
‘Special ID’ isn’t a movie, it’s a steaming pile of trash. I’d rather have my testicles smashed then have the displeasure of ever having to watch it again.
Haha, cool story, bro! XD
Special ID was meant to topple Flashpoint and SPL, but failed 100000x. That movie is unwatchable!
The trailer was so freaking mindblowing and amazing!
no wonder why Vincent left the set because they kept freaking changing everything about the damn movie!!!
It might not be his best, but trash? Come on, it’s like a love letter to old school Hong Kong with all the neon and everything. How can’t you love it?
I agree with the above: Special I.D. is unequivocally bad.
That said, I do want to see this made and on the big screen, but not with Donnie as Wei Shen. If we’re going with known quantities, I’d like to see Max Zhang in the lead. Maybe Andy On. Maybe.
I’m one of the few people out there who enjoyed Special ID just as much as Flash Point. I liked how Donnie played an irresponsible smart-ass while decimating everyone in his way even when he was broken and battered. I just don’t get the hate for it.
I’d be happy with a Sleeping Dogs movie, but I hope Donnie is allowed to let loose.
I agreed with you. Last fight with Andy was excellent but just a bit too short. If Donnie just added another 2 minutes more to that fight scene and it would be classic like flashpoint.
Cheers. I guess 2 extra minutes wouldn’t be so bad. I think with Flash Point, it was an equal balance of kung fu and jiujitsu, but in Special ID, the ratio was tipped in favor of jiujitsu, and not a lot of people appreciated that.
Hopefully this film comes to fruition, I really like the game.
Disagree completely about Special ID,
Movie was good, fights were really good choreography and executed, the whole story yes was quite simple and etc. But this movie wasnt trash at all.
Donnie Yen’s recent trash was Enter the fat Dragon, i had really big hope for this one, but holy shit it was uber bad, exept maybe that big warehouse fight secuence but the rest was really bad in any possible way ( comedy was really bad…)
waiting!!!!!
I really hope this happens it’s been so long since announced!
Sleeping Dogs was a great game that not enough people played. Easily my favorite “open world crime” game, more interesting than any GTA, in my opinion. Sometimes I think about firing it back up and experiencing that recreation of Hong Kong once again.
Fingers crossed that the movie turns out good.
Simu Liu has the charisma of a cat that’s been stomped by Godzilla.
I don’t know why but he was much more beleivable as a douchebag in that john Cena/ Akwafine jackpot movie than he was as a superhero. I don’t know what it is.