Sleeping Dogs Movie Director Explains Why The Adaptation Is Taking So Long
The Sleeping Dogs movie adaptation is progressing deliberately, according to director Timo Tjahjanto. The project—starring Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu and helmed by Nobody 2 director Tjahjanto—has remained largely quiet since earlier announcements of these key personnel.
Tjahjanto addressed the slow pace on X/Twitter, explaining that the measured approach is intentional. The team is working to balance faithfulness to the original game’s protagonist Wei Shen and his story while adapting the narrative to suit a feature film format. The director acknowledged that this task—preserving the game’s essence while crafting a compelling cinematic experience—presents significant creative challenges.
Sleeping Dogs, a cult-classic action game, has long attracted adaptation interest but, like many video game movie projects, has faced typical development obstacles. The deliberate pacing reflects the filmmakers’ commitment to quality and staying true to the source material rather than rushing the adaptation to screens.