Donnie Yen has been in the game a long time, snapping necks and cracking backs with the ease of a summer wind. He’s become a massive star in China, and finally broke into the American mainstream with ROGUE ONE last December. Now, he has finally been given a chance to lead a big American production with an adaptation of the video game, SLEEPING DOGS.
Deadline got the scoop that Yen will play the lead role in the adaptation of the game from Square Enix about an undercover cop who has to take down the most notorious gang on the streets: the Triads. The game is set in Hong Kong and focuses on martial arts fighting, car chases, parkour stunts and shooting everything up. It takes zero effort to imagine Yen doing all of that like a champ.
Though no script or director is attached, FAST AND FURIOUS producer Neal Moritz is working on bringing the movie to life with Yen starring. Though an American production, the movie will probably be advertised heavily in Yen’s native China, where his marketing presence led to a great haul for XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE to the tune of $153 million (compared to $44 million here).
I discovered Yen as a leading man with the first IP MAN movie and have been hooked ever since. The man is a marvel of stunt work and kung-fu, and I’m glad he’s finally getting some exposure on this side of the globe. He wickedly talented so I hope the movie does him justice, which may be wishful thinking given the track record of video game movies. Still, Yen will nail it like he does everything else. Just let him fire two guns whilst jumping through the air and we’ll be fine.