Simu Liu to Star as Wei Shen in Sleeping Dogs Movie

This week, fans of the beloved video game *Sleeping Dogs* were thrilled when Marvel star Simu Liu, known for his role as Shang-Chi in *Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings*, announced via Twitter that he's collaborating with the rights holders to adapt the game into a movie. Excitement escalated when a source close to the project confirmed to IGN that the *Sleeping Dogs* movie is indeed in development, with Liu not only producing but also set to star as the protagonist, Wei Shen. IGN has reached out to Square Enix for further comments on this exciting development.

Originally released in 2012 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, *Sleeping Dogs* follows the gripping narrative of detective Wei Shen as he infiltrates a notorious Triad crime syndicate in Hong Kong. Despite not meeting Square Enix's sales targets, the game has garnered a passionate following and sparked hopes for a sequel ever since.

An earlier adaptation of *Sleeping Dogs* was announced in 2017, with Donnie Yen slated to star. However, the project fizzled out a year later, and Yen recently confirmed to Polygon that it had been scrapped. Yen shared his deep investment in the project, both financially and creatively, and expressed disappointment over its cancellation. Despite this setback, Liu's announcement has reignited fans' hopes, although it initially caused some confusion. Liu clarified his intentions, expressing his commitment to not only bring the movie to life but also to help develop a sequel game.

"So few film projects make it from pitch phase to greenlight," Liu stated. "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 has learned that Story Kitchen, known for their work on video game adaptations such as the *Sonic the Hedgehog* films and Netflix's animated *Tomb Raider* series, is spearheading the *Sleeping Dogs* live-action feature film. They are currently also involved in 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*, with Ángel Manuel Soto, the director of *Blue Beetle*, attached to the project.

For *Sleeping Dogs*, a writer and a major filmmaker are already on board, although no release date or production start date has been announced yet. This movie represents a significant revival for *Sleeping Dogs*, which saw its planned 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* might finally be set for the cinematic wake-up call fans have been longing for.