Hugh Jackman Leads a Flock of Suspects in The Sheep Detectives
A farmer turns up dead. The police are not coming. And the only witnesses have four legs, zero experience, and a reading habit that has given them wildly unrealistic expectations about how investigations work. That is the setup for "The Sheep Detectives," and honestly, it is one of the best pitches for a film in years.
The Amazon MGM Studios animated feature arrives on Prime Video on June 24 with a voice cast so absurdly stacked it almost feels like a joke. Hugh Jackman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Emma Thompson, Bryan Cranston, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein, and Chris O'Dowd are all in this. About sheep. Solving a murder. And somehow that sentence only makes you want to watch it more.
The Amazon MGM Studios animated feature arrives on Prime Video on June 24 with a voice cast so absurdly stacked it almost feels like a joke. Hugh Jackman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Emma Thompson, Bryan Cranston, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein, and Chris O'Dowd are all in this. About sheep. Solving a murder. And somehow that sentence only makes you want to watch it more.
The Sheep Detectives
The story follows a flock who have never once left their meadow. Everything they know about the world beyond the fence comes from books, which is a problem when the world beyond the fence turns out to be full of liars, secrets, and people with very good reasons to want their farmer gone. Director Kyle Balda, who previously steered the Despicable Me franchise, brings a sharp eye for physical comedy and timing, but there is something more going on here too. The film has real weight to it. The mystery actually twists. The characters actually grow.
Meet The Flock
Jackman voices the flock's self-appointed lead detective, a sheep with far more confidence than competence. Louis-Dreyfus plays his reluctant partner with the kind of dry, cutting delivery she has perfected over decades. Thompson is the elder of the group, quiet and knowing, the one who has clearly been paying more attention than anyone realised. Nicholas Braun, Molly Gordon, and Nicholas Galitzine fill out the rest of the flock, and each of them gets moments that land.
The Suspects
Then there is the human world. Cranston, Hong Chau, Regina Hall, and Patrick Stewart play the suspects, and the film is smart enough to let every single one of them seem guilty at different points. Bella Ramsey and Rhys Darby show up in roles that are better discovered fresh. The less you know going in, the more fun the reveals are.
Why We’ll All Be Watching
What holds it all together is the central idea that leaving home is terrifying and necessary and rarely what you expect. The sheep are funny because they are out of their depth, but they are moving because they keep going anyway. It is a murder mystery on the surface and something gentler underneath. The kind of film where kids will love the jokes and the chase sequences and parents will be quietly affected by the rest of it.
"The Sheep Detectives" launches exclusively on Prime Video on June 24, 2026, included with your Prime membership at no extra cost.
"The Sheep Detectives" launches exclusively on Prime Video on June 24, 2026, included with your Prime membership at no extra cost.
FAQ
When does The Sheep Detectives launch on Prime Video?
June 24, 2026.
Who is in the voice cast? Hugh Jackman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Emma Thompson, Nicholas Braun, Molly Gordon, Nicholas Galitzine, Bryan Cranston, Hong Chau, Brett Goldstein, Chris O'Dowd, Tosin Cole, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, and Rhys Darby.
Is it included with a Prime membership? Yes, at no extra cost.
Who is in the voice cast? Hugh Jackman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Emma Thompson, Nicholas Braun, Molly Gordon, Nicholas Galitzine, Bryan Cranston, Hong Chau, Brett Goldstein, Chris O'Dowd, Tosin Cole, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, and Rhys Darby.
Is it included with a Prime membership? Yes, at no extra cost.