The Sheep Detectives (2026) is directed by Kyle Balda, featuring a screenplay by Craig Maizin. It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Nicholas Braun, Bryan Cranston, Molly Gordon, Nicholas Galitzine, Chris O’Dowd, Emma Thompson, Hong Chau, Tosin Cole, Conleth Hill, Brett Goldstein, Patrick Stewart, Regina Hill, Bella Ramsey, Rhys Darby, Tommy Birchall, and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Based on the novel ‘Three Bags Full’ by Leonie Swann, the film follows a flock of talking sheep (though the humans can’t hear them) who one morning discover their beloved shepherd, George Hardy (Jackman), mysteriously deceased. Due to their love of the mystery novels that George would often read to them at the end of each day, the flock presumes murder and sets out to catch the culprit. Meanwhile, the small town’s sole police officer, Tim Derry (Braun), sets out to do the same despite being clearly inept at his job. Realizing their abilities are limited due to being simple farm animals, they secretly work to lead Tim down the correct path before George’s estranged but loving daughter (Gordon) is framed for his murder, thus forfeiting her claim to his will, which would result in the flock being sold to the local butcher.

Although the voiceovers for the sheep characters are serviceable, they’re not particularly impressive enough to justify paying such expensive performers. That said, each sheep has a distinct look and personality, which can often be difficult to achieve with animal/non-human characters. They’re a lot of fun to follow, but not necessarily because of the voice work. What I didn’t expect was that human characters would somewhat steal the show. When you have a movie centered around cute talking animals, they often take center stage. Thankfully, the script balances its focus well, and individuals such as Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, and Molly Gordon all give charming performances. Normally, I’d criticize Hugh Jackman’s involvement as being an exercise in stunt casting, but I shouldn’t be surprised to report that his few scenes are key in establishing the film’s big heart. I don’t think anyone other than a top-tier actor like him could’ve sold such a goofy character, so his inclusion gets my seal of approval.

Despite mostly being the family film you’d expect, these sheep learn some serious lessons about mortality. This adds a necessary thematic layer and, much to my surprise, some palpable life-or-death stakes. The tame British humor never really makes you laugh, but it’s subtly charming enough to put a consistent grin on your face. This is especially true in the case of Nicholas Braun as the small town’s dimwitted yet kindhearted constable. He channels what’s so memorable about his character Greg in HBO’s Succession, but in a far more family-friendly form. 

Overall, this is a film with an odd combination of genres, but it works much better than I ever could’ve anticipated. It’s a cozy, cute, and surprisingly thought-provoking piece of family entertainment. The human characters unexpectedly hold their own against the talking animals (tougher than you’d think), which is just one of the many reasons the 2-hour runtime flies by. It’s easily one of the bigger surprises of the last year or two, and it successfully executes most of what it sets out to do. I highly recommend it for what it is. B+