Bringing Sleeping Dogs to the big screen has not been easy for Simu Liu (Shang-Chi). The Shang-Chi star has been pushing to adapt the action game into a movie, but the process has been frustrating.
Liu took to X to share an update, admitting the challenges of getting the project off the ground. He shared: “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!”
Despite the hurdles he’s facing, he has a vision for the franchise, saying: “First a movie, then a sequel game for everyone… that’s always been the dream.”
For those unfamiliar, Sleeping Dogs is a crime thriller set in Hong Kong, following undercover cop Wei Shen as he infiltrates the Sun On Yee Triad. The game earned a strong cult following.
Originally, action icon Donnie Yen was attached to star in a Sleeping Dogs movie, but earlier this month, he confirmed the project was dead.
He said: “I spent a lot of time and did a lot of work with these producers, and I even invested some of my own money into obtaining the drafts and some of the rights.
“I waited for years. Years. And I really want to do it. I have all these visions in my head, and unfortunately… I don’t know, you know how Hollywood goes, right? I spent many, many years on it. It was an unfortunate thing. Well, on to better things.”
In regard to the sequel game Liu mentioned,Sleeping Dogs had a planned follow-up that never happened, and fans have been clamoring for a new installment ever since. If Liu can actually get the movie made, maybe it will revive the franchise?
We’ll just have to wait and see if Liu can break through Hollywood’s red tape to get Sleeping Dogs made. While we wait, we can expect to see Liu back in the MCU as some point kicking ass.
