Stubs - The Sheep Detectives

The Sheep Detectives (2026) starring Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, Emma Thompson; voices: Brett Goldstein, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart. Directed by Kyle Balda. Screenplay by Craig Mazin. Based on Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. Produced by Lindsay Doran, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner. Run Time: 109 minutes. Color. USA/UK Comedy, Mystery.

I’m a big fan of mysteries, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of one in which a flock of sheep help solve a murder. But that’s the plot of The Sheep Detectives, a new film that’s currently in release. And, while it may sound far-fetched, the film is very much worth watching, and in fact, I’m looking forward to seeing it again.

Hugh Jackman stars as George Hardy, a shepherd who is a bit of a loner. In fact, he’s not really well-liked in Denbrook, the nearby English town. He doesn’t seem to get along with anyone, including Caleb Merrow (Tosin Cole), a nearby shepherd who is renting Hardy’s land; Ham Gilyard (Conleth Hill), a butcher in town; Reverend Hillcoate (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), the village priest; and Beth Pennock (Hong Chau), who professes she wants to kill him.

George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) loves his sheep and even reads to them every night.

George’s only friends seem to be his sheep, in his very diverse flock, and he has named all of them, including  Lily, a Shetland sheep (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) who is thought to be the world's smartest sheep; Mopple (Chris O’Dowd), a Merino sheep; Cloud (Regina Hall), a North Country Cheviot sheep; Sir Richfield (Patrick Steward), a Boreray sheep; Wool-Eyes (Rhys Darby ), a Lincoln Longwool sheep; and Reggie and Ronnie (Brett Goldstein), twin Norfolk Horn sheep. George takes good care of them and even reads to them every night. But his genre of choice are mysteries, which the sheep seem to not only like but discuss when they're alone.

Lily (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is close to George.

It is after a rainstorm that George’s dead body is discovered in the meadow. Tim Derry (Nicholas Braun) the lone police officer in the village, has never had to play detective and is quickly in over his head. Things get more complicated when Rebecca Hampstead (Molly Gordon) arrives the same day at the same time as Lydia Harbottle (Emma Thompson), George's lawyer, arrives to read the will. Lurking around the investigation is Elliot Matthews (Nicholas Galitzine), a reporter sent to cover the town’s underwhelming cultural festival, hangs around hoping to get a story.

Is Derry up to the challenge to solve George’s murder? Does he need help from a flock, led by Lily, who are “trained” in solving murder mysteries? Much is revealed and in some ways the answer is as old as any whodunit from classic Hollywood. But the fun is in resolving the mystery.

But what might be the most surprising is that there is both comedy and heartfelt emotions expressed beautifully. I came to tears at least twice during the dénouement and I don’t think I’m the only one. As much as anything that has to do with the story, as well as the acting, the sheep characters seem very real and very human.

I’m a fan of Hugh Jackman, largely from his portrayal of Wolverine through the X-Men series of films, and solo films like Logan, but the man can do no wrong. Multi-talented, Jackman is also a song-and-dance man. It’s no surprise that he could play the role of George Hardy and make the character loving and caring. But he sort of disappears from the film after the murder. So much of the charm of the film is left to the sheep.

Emma Thompson's character is more one-dimensional but she makes sure that she holds your attention when she's on screen.

Nicholas Braun as Tim Derry, and Molly Gordon as Rebecca Hampstead.

The supporting actors in the film, for the most part, are not as well known as Jackman or Thompson but they do well with their roles. In particular, Nicholas Braun as Tim Derry, and Molly Gordon as Rebecca Hampstead. Besides the sheep, Derry becomes a main character in the second half of the film, and Braun plays the character with humor. Gordon is also good as the long lost daughter who finds herself a stranger in a strange land.

Mopple (voiced by Chris O’Dowd) and Lily are two of the sheep leading the investigation.

The animation is done very well and the sheep definitely become the focus of the film. But the human characters also have their charms, as everyone, animals and people alike, grow and overcome their own fears and limitations.

The Sheep Detectives is a very charming and funny film and one that I would highly recommend. It is being presented as a family-friendly film but I was a little surprised to see some very young children in the audience. It is rated PG for thematic material, some violent content and brief language and this is really not appropriate for very young children, unless you’re prepared for questions about subjects raised in the film.