The Sheep Detectives
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Kyle Balda
Written by Craig Mazin
Based on Three Bags Full
by Leonie Swann
Produced by
  • Lindsay Doran
  • Tim Bevan
  • Eric Fellner
Starring
  • Hugh Jackman
  • Nicholas Braun
  • Nicholas Galitzine
  • Molly Gordon
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus
  • Bryan Cranston
  • Chris O'Dowd
  • Regina Hall
  • Patrick Stewart
  • Bella Ramsey
  • Brett Goldstein
  • Hong Chau
  • Emma Thompson
Cinematography George Steel
Edited by
  • Martin Walsh
  • Paul Machliss
  • Al LeVine
Music by Christophe Beck
Production
companies
  • Working Title Films
  • Three Strange Angels
  • Lord Miller Productions
Distributed by
  • Amazon MGM Studios (United States and Canada)
  • Sony Pictures Releasing International (International)
Release dates
  • 2 May 2026 (2026-05-02) (Early Access Screenings)
  • 8 May 2026 (2026-05-08) (United States)
Running time
109 minutes[1]
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Language English

The Sheep Detectives is a 2026 mystery comedy film directed by Kyle Balda and written by Craig Mazin, based on the 2005 novel Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. The film features an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, and Emma Thompson with the voices of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O'Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, and Brett Goldstein.

The film had its special advanced preview screenings on May 2, 2026, and in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios and internationally by Sony Pictures Releasing International on 8 May 2026. The film received positive reviews from critics.

Plot

On a farm in the English countryside, shepherd George Hardy spends his time reading murder mystery novels to his flock of sheep, pretending that they follow along with the stories. When one morning he is discovered dead - murdered - the sheep go about thinking on how to solve the murder.

Cast

  • Hugh Jackman as George Hardy, a shepherd who is mysteriously found dead
  • Nicholas Braun as Tim Derry, a clumsy local policeman
  • Nicholas Galitzine as Elliot Matthews, a reporter
  • Molly Gordon as Rebecca Hampstead, George's daughter
  • Tosin Cole as Caleb, a fellow shepherd
  • Hong Chau as Beth Pennock
  • Emma Thompson as Lydia Harbottle, George's lawyer
  • Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Reverend Hillcoate, a priest
  • Conleth Hill as Ham Gilyard, a butcher
  • Mandeep Dhillon as Postwoman Jo

Voices

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Lily, a Shetland sheep that becomes the de facto leader in solving the mystery of George's death
  • Bryan Cranston as Sebastian, a black Icelandic Leadersheep
  • Chris O'Dowd as Mopple, a Merino sheep
  • Regina Hall as Cloud, a North Country Cheviot sheep
  • Patrick Stewart as Sir Richfield, a Boreray sheep
  • Bella Ramsey as Zora, a Danish Landrace sheep with brown wool
  • Brett Goldstein as Reggie and Ronnie, twin Norfolk Horn sheep
  • Rhys Darby as Wool-Eyes, a Lincoln Longwool sheep

Production

In March 2024, it was revealed that Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie, an adaptation of Leonie Swann's 2005 detective novel Three Bags Full, was in development, with Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson cast in the lead roles.[2] In June, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, Tosin Cole, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Conleth Hill and Mandeep Dhillon rounded out the cast. Kyle Balda would direct the film and Craig Mazin wrote the screenplay.[3] Bryan Cranston, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O'Dowd, Regina Hall, and Patrick Stewart were announced as having joined the cast in April 2025.[4]

Principal photography took place from June to July 2024 in a number of locations across Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey, most notably in Ivinghoe, at White Pond Farm and in Shepperton Studios.[5][6] Visual effects for the film were completed by Framestore, and Clear Angle Studios.[7] Christophe Beck will score the film.[8]

Release

The Sheep Detectives had its special advanced preview screenings on May 2, 2026, and in the United States on 8 May 2026. It was originally scheduled to release on 20 February 2026, under the name Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie, but in May 2025, it was pushed to 13 November 2026 to pull in more families.[3][9] In October 2025, it was reported that the film had been retitled The Sheep Detectives, and was moved up to its current date to avoid competition with the upcoming animated film adaptation of The Cat in the Hat.[10]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of 48 critics' reviews are positive.[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 66 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[12]

Drew Munhausen of Nerdtropolis said the film was "full of wit, colorful visuals, and an absolutely delightful array of memorable sheep characters."[13] Tim Grierson of A.V. Club said Balda "leads us down one path for some time" but "the final reveal hints at the cleverness and care woven into the film from the start."[14] Jim Vejvoda of IGN said the film is "a very sweet, and often quite moving, family comedy about grief and death...with the broad humor of some of the human characters being the film’s weakest aspect.[15] Kristy Puchko of Mashable called it "a big swing for its bonkers ambition."[16] Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent said "the melodrama helps land the comedy" and "there’s some real charm to be found here."[17]

Harry Stainer of the Empire said the film had an "abundance of pathos," which was "helped in large part by the voice cast that bring this adorable animated flock to life — especially Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Lily, Chris O’Dowd’s soulful Mopple, and Bella Ramsey’s high-energy, question-asking lamb."[18] Guy Lodge of the Variety said "the film delights" when "the sheep get to run the show" and Mazin's "script is shakiest when the action pivots to the village."[19] Jo Berry of Digital Spy says "Hong Chau and Emma Thompson are woefully underused, and Thompson's deliciously delivered put-downs only serve to highlight the fact that the movie is only mildly amusing, rather than uproariously funny, when she isn't around."[20]

Pete Hammond of Deadline says "the starry voice cast delivers on all fronts, especially with lines provided by Mazin’s witty and wise script."[21] Robbie Collin of the Telegraph says the film "owes an obvious debt" to the Babe films for it is "a profoundly odd viewing experience – entirely pleasant, lightly funny and easily absorbed."[22] William Bibbiania of TheWrap says it's a "remarkable family flick" that "will leave a lasting impression."[23] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian says "the murder...doesn’t get swamped with sadness and shock."[24] Adam Courtliff of RedCarpetCrash says the film's "exploration of grief, memory, and the overall processing of losing loved ones is handled with incredible care, whilst also not shying away from the fact mortality is a thing."[25]

Joseph Holmes of World News Group said this film is "one of the most entertaining family movies I’ve seen in a while."[26] Mark Keizer of MovieWeb says Mazin’s script "runs along undemanding, traditional lines, but it’s often craftier than it seems."[27] Michael Conway of JoBlo says "the script commits to the ridiculousness without treating the audience like idiots, and Mazin threads that needle beautifully."[28] Nikki Baughan of ScreenDaily says Balda "knows how to effectively stage comedic set-pieces, and – crucially – keep things moving along briskly and the energy high."[29] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter said Jackman "proves so charismatic that it’s easy to understand why George’s flock would devote themselves to finding his murderer."[30] Linda Marric of HeyUGuys says it's "a warm, whimsical film with more depth than you might expect."[31] Nate Adams of TheOnlyCritic says the film "has no right to be this affecting, this thoughtful, or this complete, and I am deeply grateful that it exists."[32]

References

  1. ^ "The Sheep Detectives (G)". British Columbia Film Classification Office (Consumer Protection BC). 25 March 2026. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
  2. ^ "Hugh Jackman to star in new murder mystery comedy thriller with sheep detectives". Virgin Radio UK. 6 March 2024. Archived from the original on 11 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (7 June 2024). "Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine & More To Star In Amazon MGM Comedy 'Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  4. ^ Gardner, Chris; Gajewski, Ryan (2 April 2025). "Hugh Jackman Unveils Sheep-Filled Footage for Detective Film 'Three Bags Full'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 3 April 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  5. ^ Galuppo, Mia (7 June 2024). "Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson to Star in Sheep Detective Comedy 'Three Bags Full'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  6. ^ Grobar, Matt (7 June 2024). "Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine & More To Star In Amazon MGM Comedy 'Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
  7. ^ "The Sheep Detectives - Official Trailer". YouTube. Animation World Network. 18 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Christophe Beck Scoring Kyle Balda's 'The Sheep Detectives'". 24 March 2026. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
  9. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (2 May 2025). "Hugh Jackman's 'Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie' Moves Baa To Pre-Thanksgiving 2026". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 5 May 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  10. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (10 October 2025). "Hugh Jackman's Amazon MGM Studios Comedy 'Three Bags Full' Changes Title & Moves To Mother's Day Weekend 2026". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  11. ^ "The Sheep Detectives". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.
  12. ^ "The Sheep Detectives in Metacritic". Metacritic. 6 May 2026.
  13. ^ Munhausen, Drew (27 April 2026). "The Sheep Detectives Review: Hugh Jackman Leads a Charming Mystery That Tackles Big Themes For Young Audiences". Nerdtropolis - Movie News, Reviews, Interviews, and Trailers. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  14. ^ "The Sheep Detectives is probably the best movie about sheep detectives ever made". AV Club. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  15. ^ Vejvoda, Jim (27 April 2026). "The Sheep Detectives Isn't the Movie You're Expecting (and That's What Makes It Great)". IGN. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  16. ^ Puchko, Kristy (27 April 2026). "'The Sheep Detectives' review: Deeply silly sleuth story is much smarter than it needed to be". Mashable. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  17. ^ "The 'talking sheep solve Hugh Jackman's murder' movie is oddly charming – review". The Independent. 27 April 2026. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  18. ^ "The Sheep Detectives review: Baa-rmy murder-mystery is tonally confused, but a yarn worth telling". Empire. 27 April 2026. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  19. ^ Lodge, Guy (27 April 2026). "'The Sheep Detectives' Review: Wholesomely Offbeat Family Comedy Has Bags Full of Charm". Variety. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  20. ^ "The Sheep Detectives is a unique cosy crime mystery that's Death in Paradise meets Babe". Digital Spy. 27 April 2026. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  21. ^ Hammond, Pete (27 April 2026). "'The Sheep Detectives' Review: Hugh Jackman, His Wild And Woolly Flock, And A Nifty Murder Mystery Make For A Charming Cross Between 'Babe' And 'Knives Out'". Deadline. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  22. ^ Collin, Robbie (27 April 2026). "Talking sheep catch a killer in the cosiest, fluffiest crime thriller imaginable". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  23. ^ Bibbiani, William (27 April 2026). "'The Sheep Detectives' Review: Listen Up, Sheeple! This Ewe-Dunnit Is Cozy as Flock". TheWrap. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  24. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (27 April 2026). "The Sheep Detectives review – Hugh Jackman gives a flock in baa-rking mad cosy crime caper". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  25. ^ RedCarpetCrash (27 April 2026). "Movie Review: 'The Sheep Detectives'". RedCarpetCrash.com. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  26. ^ Holmes, Joseph (27 April 2026). "The Sheep Detectives MOVIE: A whimsical, entertaining family movie that sometimes strays into anti-religious pastures". World News Group. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  27. ^ Keizer, Mark (27 April 2026). "Adults Won't Even Be Counting Sheep During The Charming 'The Sheep Detectives' | Review". MovieWeb. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  28. ^ Conway, Michael (4 May 2026). "The Sheep Detectives Review: A Wholesome Whodunit That's Shear Perfection". Joblo. Retrieved 4 May 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ^ Baughan, Nikki. "'The Sheep Detectives' review: Hugh Jackman leads an all-star cast in offbeat murder mystery". Screen. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  30. ^ Scheck, Frank (27 April 2026). "'The Sheep Detectives' Review: Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson and a Top-Flight Voice Cast Can't Make This Family-Friendly Mystery Matter". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  31. ^ Marric, Linda (28 April 2026). "The Sheep Detectives Review". HeyUGuys. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  32. ^ Adams, Nate (5 May 2026). "'The Sheep Detectives' review: Whimsical whodunit is shear family delight". TheOnlyCritic. Retrieved 5 May 2026.