The Sheep Detectives

• Directed by Kyle Balda
• May 2, 2026 (Early Access Screenings) / May 8, 2026 (US)
• Based on the 2005 novel Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann

A flock of sheep try to solve the murder of their beloved shepherd.

Everything about The Sheep Detectives told me it would be fun. What else could a movie involving sheep solving a murder be? What I was not prepared for was how sweet and thoughtful it could become.

Set in an English village called Denbrook, the story instantly draws similarities to any number of British murder mysteries set in a sleepy countryside town. A bit like Midsomer Murders or for the American equivalent you could use Murder, She Wrote. Two shows that ran long enough that you had to wonder if anybody was left to live in the area the series was set.

They do nothing to hide the structure of this film and how it is going to work. It even tells you who the real killer is before there is much evidence. Oft repeated is the structure of the murder mystery. It is a Golden Age whodunnit structure not unlike something from Agatha Christie. It follows that almost to the letter though not as artfully. There is even a surprise fortune due to George finding a successful treatment for a disease called orf. It’s real. I had to check.

What is a murder mystery without interesting suspects. Being a comedy this town is filled with quirky characters containing a strange sense of smalltown pride. Now that I write this, it dawns on me that Denbrook covers a good-sized area but the most people we see are at a church service and in the climax when the local constable puts it all together.

Not only are the people different but so are the sheep characters. Often they are more quirks as personalities but that is largely for the supporting sheep and not the main ones. Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is the leader of the flock and seen as the most intelligent because she always solves the mysteries George (Hugh Jackman) reads in the evening. Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) is a solitary sheep whom George rescued. Then there is Mopple (Chris O’Dowd) that lacks the sheep ability to forget completely. At the minimum these important characters have distinct philosophies.

As I said I was surprised at how thoughtful this movie could get. It may involve sheep, but it is a human story. The characters grow and learn and they even confront biases. With the sheep able to forget the unpleasant it gets philosophical over needing to remember the past and that people are not truly gone if we remember them. The bad contributes to our growth as much as the good. Lily only truly changes when she comes to terms with and deals with the death of George.

Biases was one of the more shocking things in this. Winter lambs are seen by sheep as bad for no justifiable reason. A winter lamb who ultimately proves helpful is shunned by the flock. Heck Lily even gets smacked in the face by her lack of thinking. It does an excellent job of poking fun at the conventions of the mystery and mixing in drama and pathos as characters essentially come of age.

Many have murder mystery reasons to kill George. All are viable but if you follow the stated whodunnit structure you will know who did it before the characters do. It’s a brilliant homage to that type of story while being funny and being a true detective story. It’s what can be accomplished when someone not only loves the material they’re adapting to but loves the genre it is within.

With everything it includes from George’s solicitor Lydia Harbottle (Emma Thompson) to reporter Elliot Matthews (Nicholas Galitzine) to all the possible culprits and even the will, it brilliantly tells you what’s going on and who did it without saying it. That information is sprinkled throughout.

The story avoids turning Constable Derry (Nicholas Braun) into a punchline of a lovesick loser or hopelessly incompetent. He may find suspect Rebecca Hampstead (Molly Gordon), whose real name is Chastity Krampfs, but is not so blinded he cannot consider her as a suspect. Each actor gives a near ideal performance and never devolves into anything too silly. I must give credit to those voicing the ship who did excellent work to bring them vocally to life.

The Sheep Detectives is an entertaining and sweet film with a unique premise that causes it to be one of the more entertaining films of 2026. If is a character driven story that will keep you watching to the end.