You’ve likely never seen anything quite like The Sheep Detectives. And that’s a very, very good thing.

Directed by Kyle Balda, The Sheep Detectives introduces us to George (Hugh Jackman), a hard-working but reclusive shepherd who reads detective novels to his beloved sheep before he goes to bed. To him, it’s a fun exercise that winds down his day but he knows its silly. (After all, they can’t possibly understand him, right?) However, after George mysteriously passes away, the sheep recognize the signs of foul play. With a keen eye for clues, they decide that they must conduct their own investigation, becoming the very detectives that George had coached them to be.

There’s something almost magical about Balda’s Detectives. On paper, this feels like a film that shouldn’t work. However, thanks to a delightful (and shockingly bold) script and enthusiastic performances, Detectives trots into theatres as one of the delightful children’s live-action films in quite some time. It combines the charm of Charlotte’s Web with the instincts of Knives Out (and, sometimes, even the Scream franchise.) As a result, it’s often weird, whimsical and completely wonderful.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
© 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Fueled by its family-friendly humour, there’s a certain silliness and sweetness that permeates the farm and its loveable characters. Led by some energetic work by Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and an unbelievably endearing performance by Bryan Cranston, these sheep quickly wiggle their way into your heart quickly.

But the sheep aren’t the only winners here either. Positively goofy vibes from Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine and Emma Thompson bring life to the human characters but still match the tone of the film as well. (And, for what it’s worth, the film takes its mystery very seriously, trying to offer twists and turns as it builds towards a proper reveal.)

On the surface, Craig Mazin seems like an odd choice to write the script for a film about barnyard animals solving mysteries. Although his career has always featured big comedies like The Hangover trilogy and Scary Movie films, Mazin’s latest successes have come through intense streaming series such as The Last of Us and Chernobyl. That’s not necessarily the type of IMDb page that you would expect to develop such an oddball children’s film.

(L to R) Chris O’Dowd as the voice of Mopple and Julia-Louis Dreyfus as the voice of Lily in THE SHEEP DETECTIVES, from Amazon MGM Studios.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
© 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

But make no mistake. These Detectives take their shenanigans very seriously.

In fact, it’s almost surprisingly how deeply honest The Sheep Detectives is about bigger issues. Despite the film being fun, family fare, Detectives gets very honest about topics that other kids’ films aren’t always willing to go.

In this way, Detectives feels like a bit of a throwback to children’s films from the 80s and 90s. For example, films like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, The Neverending Story and, yes, the Babe franchise are often remembered through the lens of nostalgia, focusing our memories on their adorable characters. However, after rewatching them today, we can see a certain level of maturity within the film’s subject matter. These were stories that took their characters seriously and were unafraid to deal with tougher topics in a child-friendly manner.

And this spirit resonates deeply within Sheep Detectives. Even amidst the rollicking silliness of the farm, Mazin invites children to sit with topics that many other films of this nature are unwilling to engage. Without giving spoilers, this is a film that speaks to kids about the most difficult challenges of grief while telling them that memory can help ‘keep people alive’ within us. Conversations about bullying and death are tackled in an age-appropriate manner but also feel authentic and real.

(L to R) Julia-Louis Dreyfus as the voice of Lily and Hugh Jackman as George Hardy in THE SHEEP DETECTIVES, from Amazon MGM Studios.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
© 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In the end, there’s such heart and soul within The Sheep Detectives that one cannot help but appreciate their time on the farm. This is a film that makes you fall in love with its adorable characters and sense of child-like wonder. Yet, at the same time, it’s also willing to embrace the tough issues in a way that never feels inappropriate for young audiences.

For that reason, unlike the sheep themselves, it’s an experience you’ll never forget.

The Sheep Detectives is available in theatres on Friday, May 8th, 2026.