The Sheep Detectives (2026)

“The Sheep Detectives” stars Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, Tosin Cole, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Bryan Cranston, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, and Patrick Stewart.  Released on May 8, 2026, the film follows a herd of sheep as they investigate the murder of their shepherd.

The film was directed by Kyle Balda, who’s known for co-directing “The Lorax”, “Minions”, “Despicable Me 3”, and “Minions: The Rise of Gru”.  It is based on the 2005 novel Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story by Leonie Swann.  Everybody loves a good murder mystery every once in a while.  The build-up, the questionable suspects, the clues leading to the final culprit.  Everything about the genre is enough to keep the readers on their toes until the true villain is revealed.  But, as it turns out, we humans aren’t the only ones who are fans of uncovering the final suspect.  These wool-covered animals are as wild about it as we are, even if we haven’t noticed, though the biggest mystery is whether their passion can help them solve their own.  The recent, family-friendly adaptation of “Animal Farm” wasn’t the only animal movie invading theaters this month, as this cinematic take on Leonie Swann’s novel seeks to lure in families seeking more talking animal shenanigans this summer.  Given the reception “Animal Farm” has been getting, we can assume that any film involving animals with CGI mouths is more tolerable than what that all-star misfire is going through.  Was it the case for this family-friendly comedy, or should families leave this mystery unsolved?  Let’s find out.

The story centers on the flock of sheep, including a Shetland sheep named Lily (Louis-Dreyfus), who is living under the care of their shepherd, George Hardy (Jackman).  They share their love of murder mysteries by listening to George read mystery novels to them every night.  One day, their tranquility is shattered when Lily and the sheep discover that George has been murdered.  Initially heartbroken by the loss, Lily proposes the idea of finding the culprit responsible for George’s death, prompting her and the other sheep to venture outside their home for the first time.  Utilizing what they’ve learned from murder mysteries, Lily and the flock must unravel the clues to solve the case.  

In case you aren’t aware, I have a really soft spot for talking-animal movies from my childhood.  Sure, some of them can be a bit “ruff” in their narratives amid their animalistic mishaps.  But there was something quite charming about these live animals with CGI mouths that makes me feel a bit giddy whenever they speak our language.  Whether it’s “Babe”, “Racing Stripes”, or even “Strays”, these movies pack a kind of charisma inside their fur to delight those wishing to understand what these wild critters are saying.  It’s obviously one of the reasons I was looking forward to “The Sheep Detectives”, despite my inexperience with the source material.  Another reason is my curiosity about its director, Kyle Balda, who makes his live-action directorial debut after serving as co-director on the “Despicable Me” franchise.  I’m not joking.  The person behind the spin-offs involving the yellow, gibberish-speaking minions was directing a movie about talking sheep solving a murder mystery.  Talk about a woolly promotion.

Given his filmography, I was only expecting it to be a harmless yet flawed children's movie with the usual “talking-animal mishap” formula written all over it.  However, upon its release, I was shocked to see that it turned out to be better than any of us had anticipated, thanks to its strong word of mouth.  That alone was more than enough to see if this murder mystery really is as fun as those solved by Hercule Poirot or Benoit Blanc.  After finally getting a chance to watch it, I can definitely understand why.  On paper, this seemed like another talking-animal movie that’s more focused on CGI creatures performing crazy shenanigans and critter-related jokes every few minutes to appease the young crowd.  While it may seem that way at first, it realizes that parents are watching this too.  The film remembers it’s a family movie, so it needs a plot that caters not just to the kids but also to older viewers willing to accept its silliness, and guess what?  They found the right evidence to achieve this balance.

“The Sheep Detectives” works as an entertaining, charismatic, and colorful burst of wool that revitalizes the murder mystery genre with warmth and English vibes.  One might even say that it’s one of the highly acceptable introductions to the genre for those too young for the big boy mysteries.  However, the biggest surprise that elevated its seemingly straightforward plot is what’s hidden underneath its cuteness.  As I said before, it undoubtedly has the identity of a kid-friendly movie about talking animals wreaking havoc, much to the humans’ disbelief, as evidenced in a few moments.  But in reality, the movie is actually a reflection of death and grief.  You might be thinking, “death and grief in a kids' movie? Ridiculous!”  Well, first off, what do you expect out of a film about a shepherd being murdered?  Secondly, while its content can be a tad discomforting, the movie depicts these themes in the best way it could: through the eyes of a sheep.

Screenwriter Craig Mazin may not have the strongest track record in the film business, but he has created his best work in television with “Chernobyl” and “The Last of Us”.  Well, notably the first season of the latter, since I haven’t yet watched season two in its entirety.  So, it left me wondering which side of the coin Mazin will end up with this movie’s script.  The answer is on the side that surprisingly works.  Along with the film’s refreshing take on the narrative tropes and witty humor, Mazin provided a blend of philosophy and family-friendly energy that doesn’t neglect one side of the audience in favor of the other.  It’s fun enough to delight kids with its goofy charm, engaging plot, and pacing.  But it’s also smart enough to teach them about its mature themes without making it too dark or dumbing it down.  It’s this kind of balance in certain family movies that entertains children on their first viewing but helps them appreciate the thematic depth as they grow older. In my eyes, this blend works just enough to be surprisingly moving for adults like myself.

Of course, with a screenplay like that, it needs a director capable of bringing it to life, which is Kyle Balda.  It was surprising to see Balda as their top choice to direct a film like this, given his directorial track record with Illumination.  One might even think it would be like “Minions”, but with fluffy fur and an English setting.  Thankfully, that isn’t the case.  Balda used that similar energy from his animated works and adapted it to a live-action format that’s more subtle and mellow, rather than visually chaotic and overwhelming.  Of course, it isn’t without his mixture of charm and heart that makes his dysfunctional characters, both human and sheep, humorous and appealing.  As a result, Balda created a tone that’s somehow equivalent to a Pixar movie: fun, sweet, charismatically goofy, and surprisingly thought-provoking.  Think of it as more along the lines of “Babe” or “Paddington” with an Agatha Christie twist.  It may not work all of the time regarding the silliness and melodrama, but the story’s execution is more than enough to excuse its mild fumbles.  The visual effects were also pretty solid, particularly for the sheep and their interactions with the live-action settings, and Christophe Beck’s score was delightful for its blend of serenity and emotion.  In short, Kyle Balda certainly has the potential to direct more live-action films if that’s the vision he’s working with.

Finally, we have its cast, and I do mean the actors on the screen and behind the voices of the most adorable sheep imaginable.  Even though Hugh Jackman isn’t in the movie much, despite receiving top billing, his presence never fails to impress me regarding his performance as George Hardy.  The real stars of the film, at least in terms of the live-action cast, were Nicholas Braun and Nicholas Galitzine.  Two Nicholases for the price of one!  Braun portrays Tim Derry, a local policeman who seems incapable of solving the crime, while Galitzine plays a reporter who helps Tim solve the mystery.  Whenever the sheep are not on screen, the two Nicholases were tasked with injecting the same amount of engagement and charm to keep audiences distracted.  Honestly, I thought they handled the task very well, with Braun suitably portraying the clumsy, yet good-natured cop through his entertaining performance.  Molly Gordon was also decent as Rebecca Hampstead, one of the suspects in the case.  As for the voices behind the sheep, the only highlights that impressed me most were Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Lily and Chris O’Dowd as Mopple.  Louis-Dreyfus carried plenty of energy into Lily’s determination to solve the crime, but she also left enough room for her character’s vulnerability and warmth regarding her growth and expertise on murder mysteries.  Chris O’Dowd offered that similar energy for his performance as Mopple, mainly for comic relief purposes, along with a few moments that make him more than just a goofy, woolly sidekick.

Overall, “The Sheep Detectives” solves the mystery of making a feel-good, consistently entertaining, and deeply moving film that caters to both kids and parents.  Despite looking like a harmless, kid-friendly, talking-animal movie, Kyle Balda and screenwriter Craig Mazin took the advice from a murder mystery novel to heart by revealing its true nature.  It’s a refreshing, thoughtful, and immensely charming mystery that balances its silliness with a smart, satisfying reflection on death and grief.  Its intended tone can be hit-or-miss in how it handles the goofiness and melodrama, but its charismatic energy and heart are just too adorable and amusing for me to resist.  This is such a delightful surprise that may or may not rise to the level of quality of other similar movies like “Babe”, depending on one’s expectations.  But I can say that this is another family film that does the “talking animal” concept justice.  If you’re a fan of these types of movies and even murder mysteries, this is another cinematic crime that’s worth solving.

A-