May 11, 2026 · Watch the trailer
Sometimes a film is just so perfectly wholesome and adorable that it supersedes being a quaint family movie. Usually, it’s an animated film from Disney or Pixar that touches both the young and old equally, or it’s the warmth of a character like “Paddington Bear” that brings unbridled joy to audiences of all ages.
Seemingly out of nowhere, there’s another film that clearly fits into this all-inclusive wholesome family subgenre with “The Sheep Detectives” arriving in theaters this past weekend.
Though there are far more heavily marketed films currently playing – including major studio sequel “Mortal Kombat 2” and a Billie Eilish concert documentary co-directed by James Cameron – “The Sheep Detectives” is, without a doubt, the best new release of the past week.
Its simplicity is warmly charming rather than trite.
Based on “Three Bags Full” by Leonie Swann and directed by animation specialist Kyle Balda of “Minions” fame, “The Sheep Detectives” follows a flock of sheep whose devoted shepherd is murdered overnight in a small countryside town, prompting them to take it upon themselves to bring his killer to justice.
Though it often comes across as what if “Knives Out” but with animals, there’s enough whimsy in the fish-out-of-water aesthetic and the concept of sheep sneaking around to solve crimes that feels refreshingly sincere in modern cinema.
The plot is relatively straightforward and leans heavily into the idea that murders are easily solved by following a simple set of rules that Lily and the other sheep have learned from listening to George read murder mystery novels to them every evening before bed.
There isn’t a particularly complex mystery nor a brutal death at the heart of “The Sheep Detectives,” and although the film occasionally borders the line between a PG and PG-13 rating, it is never overly terrifying for late elementary and middle school-aged children.
There is a combination of live-action performers and a significant ensemble voice cast in “The Sheep Detectives,” with Hugh Jackman leading the fray as George, the lovable victim at the center of the story. He plays a simple shepherd with a big heart who cares more for his sheep than the humans in the small country town around him. Jackman is well adept at conversing with George’s animals, even though he is clearly not getting a response in return, and there is a genuine warmth to his performance that allows viewers to feel sympathy for computer-generated sheep they otherwise might not.
A terrific voice cast was assembled to portray each of the dozens of sheep in George’s flock, with Jackman and the rest of the live-action cast often acting opposite tennis balls and stuffed puppet sheep that served as stand-ins for the computer-generated animals audiences eventually see on screen.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus carries much of the film as Lily, an Agatha Christie-esque sleuth thought to be the smartest member of her flock. The soft, rounded cadence of her line delivery evokes a deep sense of empathy for Lily, particularly as her simple sheep life is shattered by George’s death.
Bryan Cranston, Patrick Stewart, Chris O’Dowd and Regina Hall all voice unique and distinctive sheep that audiences can easily identify, not just because of the performances, but because of the visual diversity of the flock itself. That distinction becomes increasingly important when the film throws dozens of characters into the foreground at once.
At any given point, there are often four or five sheep in nearly every scene, along with just as many humans having simultaneous nearby conversations. “The Sheep Detectives” could easily become difficult to follow as it ping-pongs between human and sheep interactions, but the film remains surprisingly grounded and easy to follow because of its direction.
There is also strong work from the live-action ensemble outside of Jackman, with Nicholas Braun melting into the role of the town’s lone, bumbling police officer and Molly Gordon playing George’s daughter, who becomes one of the film’s primary suspects.
Visually, “The Sheep Detectives” successfully blends computer-generated imagery with live-action filmmaking in a way reminiscent of “Paddington.” However, the busy vibrancy of that film’s production design is replaced here by far more simplistic rural settings that allow “The Sheep Detectives” to breathe a little easier.
“The Sheep Detectives” has come from almost nowhere to become one of the surprise hits of the first half of 2026 and may ultimately stand as the year’s most universally beloved family film.
Its universal appeal, heartwarming characters and unique take on the murder mystery genre make “The Sheep Detectives” worth seeking out in theaters with loved ones.
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