"Simu Liu to Star as Wei Shen in 'Sleeping Dogs' Movie"

This week, Marvel Cinematic Universe star Simu Liu sparked excitement among fans of the beloved video game Sleeping Dogs by tweeting about his collaboration with the rights holders to bring the game to the big screen. However, it appears the project is further along than initially suggested. A source close to the development has informed IGN that a Sleeping Dogs movie is indeed in the works, with Liu not only producing but also set to star as the lead character, Wei Shen. IGN has reached out to Square Enix for further comment.

Sleeping Dogs, first released in 2012 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, follows the story of detective Wei Shen as he infiltrates one of Hong Kong's notorious Triad crime syndicates. Although it did not meet Square Enix's high sales expectations, the game has garnered a dedicated fanbase, fueling hopes for a sequel ever since.

The journey to adapt Sleeping Dogs into a film has been tumultuous. An initial adaptation was announced in 2017, with Donnie Yen slated to star, but the project vanished a year later. Just weeks ago, Yen confirmed to Polygon that the film had been scrapped despite his significant investment of time and personal funds into the project. He expressed his disappointment and the challenges of navigating Hollywood's unpredictable landscape.

Liu's tweet stirred confusion among fans, especially after he followed up with a statement about his commitment to not only bringing the movie to life but also helping to develop a Sleeping Dogs video game sequel. "So few film projects make it from pitch phase to greenlight," he remarked. "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 can confirm that Story Kitchen is spearheading the Sleeping Dogs live-action feature film project, with Square Enix as the rights holder. 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 also involved in upcoming projects like the Streets of Rage adaptation and an adaptation of It Takes Two for Amazon.

Last year, Story Kitchen announced a film adaptation of Square Enix's Just Cause, directed by Ángel Manuel Soto of Blue Beetle fame. Sources indicate that the Sleeping Dogs project already has a writer and a major filmmaker attached, although no release date or start of production has been announced yet.

The 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 could finally be poised for a cinematic awakening.