Following an extended silence, Simu Liu indicated via social media that substantive developments regarding the Sleeping Dogs film adaptation would emerge soon, having responded to a fan's request that he honour the source material. The project currently lacks backing from a major Hollywood studio despite assembling a director and completing a script.

The adaptation's journey has been circuitous since its initial announcement in 2017 with Donnie Yen attached. Yen later declared the venture defunct in 2025, though Liu revitalised it that same year by revealing a finished screenplay and renewed forward momentum. Timo Tjahjanto signed on as director in December 2025, bringing experience from combat-focused cinema including Nobody 2 and The Night Comes For Us. His background in choreographed action sequences positions him to translate the game's martial arts gameplay to the screen.