Hugh Jackman’s New Detective Movie Is an Instant Streaming Hit
Most fans love Hugh Jackman for his iconic Wolverine portrayal, dramas like The Prestige, and his numerous action roles. But the actor also has some very wholesome movies under his belt — think Kate and Leopold, where he plays a man out of time in a rom-com, or Real Steel, where he plays an estranged father reconnecting with his son, or the acclaimed animated feature Flushed Away, where he voices a pet mouse, who gets accidentally flushed down the toilet.
Earlier this year, the actor came up with another beloved feature, The Sheep Detectives, where he plays a devoted shepherd, George Hardy, who reads cozy murder mysteries to his flock every night. Things take a turn when George is suddenly and mysteriously found dead. While the local authorities quickly write it off as a heart attack, George’s sheep suspect foul play. Putting on their detective wool or caps, they flock then takes it upon themselves to find the murderer.
Written by The Last of Us co-creator Craig Mazin and directed by Kyle Balda, The Sheep Detectives adapts Leonie Swann‘s 2005 international best-selling novel, Three Bags Full. It garnered love all around, becoming a commercial success, earning $126 million worldwide on a $75 million budget. Furthermore, the feature marks the highest-rated Hugh Jackman film, with 95% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and a 96% score from fans.
‘The Sheep Detectives’ Is an Instant Streaming Hit
Now, spreading its magic on streaming, The Sheep Detectives has become the #1 movie on Prime Video‘s global charts in just one day, as per FlixPatrol. Along with a thrilling premise, the movie has an extensive cast. Jackman is joined by Nicholas Braun as the bumbling local cop, Emma Thompson as a sharp, big-city solicitor, and Molly Gordon as George’s long-lost daughter. The voice cast is even more excellent, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus voicing the lead investigator sheep, named Lily.
The flock also includes talent powerhouses like Regina Hall as the diva Cloud, Chris O’Dowd as the patient Mopple, while Bryan Cranston voices the stoic ram Sebastian, and Patrick Stewart as Sir Ritchfield. While Jackman isn’t in the movie for long, he does a lot of emotional heavy lifting while the sheep solve the case. Collider’s Tania Hussain called the feature one of the year’s “most delightful surprises”, noting, “The Sheep Detectives is a charming, smart, and sincerely heartfelt whodunit that proves even the smallest voices can carry the biggest stories.”
Check out The Sheep Detectives on Prime Video and stay tuned to Collider for more such updates.
- Release Date
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May 8, 2026
- Runtime
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109 Minutes
- Director
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Kyle Balda