Before Simu Liu, Donnie Yen Wasted His Own Money to Make Sleeping Dogs Live Action Movie That Never Happened

Are you a fan of Sleeping Dogs? Because if you are, you’ve probably been waiting for a sequel or a movie adaptation. Unfortunately for us, we almost got a movie starring Ip Man star Donnie Yen. The man spent years working on the project and even invested his own money into it, but the project has been scrapped.

As if it was fate though, Shang Chi star Simu Liu has recently stated that he’s “working with the rights holders” for a new Sleeping Dogs project for the big screen! Let’s hope it works out this time around because we need something if a sequel isn’t coming.

The Sleeping Dogs movie was first announced in 2017, with Donnie Yen set to play the lead. At the time, Yen already had a good reputation for action movies after his involvement in projects like Ip Man and Rogue One. So naturally, we were excited to see him portray Wei Shen, an undercover cop infiltrating the Hong Kong Triads.

Yen’s Sleeping Dogs could’ve been something special. Not only was he set to star as Wei Shen, but he also invested so much personally in making it happen. In his conversation with Polygon, Yen shared his frustration about the failed project. Even though he has now moved on, his words really convince us of his passion.

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.

The cancellation of the whole project is a really big blow for fans because the game itself has already been neglected for the longest time. Released in 2012 by the now-defunct United Front Games and published by Square Enix, Sleeping Dogs is still a cult hit and is a favorite for many of us. Now it remains ignored and ahead of its time.

Simu Liu says he is working with the rights holders to make a ‘SLEEPING DOGS’ movie happen.

(Source: @SimuLiu) pic.twitter.com/3DcIjWqhtJ

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) January 30, 2025

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Alas, all hope is not lost as it seems that Simu Liu, most notably known for his role as Shang Chi in Marvel Studio’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is part of a new Sleeping Dogs project. And like Donnie Yen, Liu also has a real interest in the game as he previously revealed in a Reddit AMA back in 2021.

There are a few things to talk about regarding Simu Liu’s involvement in this project. Hollywood’s track record with video game adaptations has been inconsistent at best. Even in 2024, we saw a mixed bag of results. While Fallout, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Arcane became some of the best adaptations, we also saw the Borderlands movie which was terrible.

There is currently no confirmed studio backing the project, and no director has been named. Like Yen, Liu’s track record with action films and his personal passion for the game could give it a better chance at survival. This time though, we can expect it to not be stuck in development limbo for nearly a decade since Liu seems to be working directly with the rights holders from the start.

We’ll have to wait and see what becomes of this. Fans also wish that Will Yun Lee be brought into the project. Yun Lee voiced Wei Shen in the game is also an excellent actor with a good rep as well. Before any official details are revealed, it’s all speculation so join us with your own theories in the comments!