May 11, 2026
Group of diverse adults pose in front of a retro bus with a flock of sheep perched on the roof; a man center-left holds a wooden crook, smiling. Group photo from a quirky rural scene featuring several characters and a bus topped with sheep. A varied cast stands in front of a silver bus topped with sheep, led by a man in a brown coat holding a shepherd’s staff. People from different backgrounds stand before a vintage bus with sheep on top, suggesting a humorous, rural adventure. Front-facing ensemble shot with a bus carrying multiple sheep on its roof; central man in tan coat smiles at the camera.

Photo: MGM Studios

A clever group of CGI sheep investigates their shepherd’s suspicious death.

From Sherlock Holmes to Hercule Poirot to Miss Marple, murder mysteries have been a British cultural institution for decades, and a genre that’s enjoyed a boost in popularity across the pond with the success of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out franchise. Kyle Balda’s The Sheep Detectives (written by Craig Mazin and adapted from a novel by Leonie Swann) blends the rapid-fire wit of a Knives Out film with a healthy dose of Paddington’s English charm to create a clever, wool-laden caper with surprising sincerity. 

When their devoted, solitary shepherd George (Hugh Jackman) dies suddenly, a flock of rural sheep (voiced by a herd of stars including Patrick Stewart, Regina Hall, and Bryan Cranston) led by the mystery novel-loving Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) suspect foul play, and set out to help the town’s hapless police officer (Nicholas Braun) catch the true culprit. 

It’s a simple (admittedly ridiculous) premise, but The Sheep Detectives wholeheartedly acknowledges and embraces the strangeness of its conceit, resulting in an offbeat charm that’s in turn bolstered by a charismatic cast and Mazin’s deft script. This is a comedy first and foremost, yes, but there’s a surprisingly touching tale of grief and belonging woven in between the threads of this barnyard murder-mystery. 

Though the design of  CGI sheep veers ever so slightly into the realm of the uncanny valley, and some of the film’s casting choices are questionable (why is a flock of sheep in the English countryside chock full of American accents?) The Sheep Detectives is a charming family comedy with an unexpectedly potent emotional core. 

Rating: Sunny (***/*****)

Runtime: 109 Minutes



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Lauren Coates
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