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Sleeping Dogs director says “adding layers” to the game story is “not an easy task”
Director Timo Tjahjanto says the film adaptation of *Sleeping Dogs* is still in development, with he and star Simu Liu taking time to shape the story. He says adapting Wei Shen’s tale for a feature film while adding new layers is difficult, and the team wants to make the best version of the movie.
Liu announced the project in February 2025, based on Square Enix’s 2012 open-world game. He later voiced frustration that studios did not understand the value of the property, before naming Tjahjanto, director of *Nobody 2*, to helm the film. The game follows undercover cop Wei Shen infiltrating a warring Triad group and is known for its combat and story.
In short
- Timo Tjahjanto says the *Sleeping Dogs* film is progressing slowly.
- Simu Liu is attached to star in the adaptation.
- The team is reshaping Wei Shen’s story for a feature film.
Explained simply
Sleeping Dogs is a 2012 open-world video game published by Square Enix. It follows Wei Shen, an undercover police officer who joins a Triad group in Hong Kong while trying to gather evidence against it.
The film project brings together actor Simu Liu, who announced it, and director Timo Tjahjanto. Adapting the game means translating its characters and story into a feature film while deciding what, if anything, to add for cinema audiences.
The project matters to fans of the game and to the people making the film, who must balance its familiar story with a new version suited to the screen.