The Sleeping Dogs adaptation, which has been in development for several years, seems to have finally gained new momentum. Actor Simu Liu stated that the project is moving forward, with the director and production company already confirmed. Liu revealed the film's status while responding to fan questions on social media. According to the actor, the adaptation is progressing "very well": the project already has a director, a production company, and a "concrete direction forward."
Currently, the film's director has been confirmed as Timo Tjahjanto, known for action films such as The Night Comes for Us. Also involved in the production is Story Kitchen, a studio specializing in game adaptations. As early as October 2025, Simu Liu revealed that the first draft of the film's screenplay had been completed.
The main obstacle remains negotiations with SE, which holds the rights to Sleeping Dogs. Simu Liu stated that the team is currently in the stage of reaching an agreement with the publisher. If an agreement is reached, the film will have the opportunity to move into the next production phase. However, there is no specific timeline yet, so it is estimated that there is still a long way to go before its release.
The film's release date and even a rough window have not been announced yet. However, after years of uncertainty, this project finally seems to be truly approaching the production stage.