Muddy Stilettos

Human cast: Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon



Sheep cast: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O’Dowd, Patrick Stewart, Bryan Cranston, Brett Goldstein, Bella Ramsey, Regina Hall



Director:&nbsp;Kyle Balda



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="199" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/3.5-stars.jpg" alt="3.5 star rating" class="wp-image-137919" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/3.5-stars.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/3.5-stars-600x80.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/3.5-stars-1000x133.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="749" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-15-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg" alt="Hugh Jackman The Sheep Detectives" class="wp-image-137895" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-15-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-15-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-600x300.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-15-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-1000x499.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios © 2026 </figcaption></figure>



If you were to cross Finding Nemo, Watership Down and Babe with Midsomer Murders, you’d be somewhere in the woolly world of The Sheep Detectives. Kyle Balda (of Despicable Me fame) delivers a CGI caper packed with crime-solving, chatterbox sheep (voiced by some serious star power) &#8211; and its bales of fun!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="499" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-3-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-1000x499.jpg" alt="Chris O'Dowd as the voice of Mopple and Julia-Louis Dreyfus as the voice of Lily in The Sheep Detectives" class="wp-image-137912" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-3-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-1000x499.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-3-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-600x300.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-3-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(L to R) Chris O&#8217;Dowd as the voice of Mopple and Julia-Louis Dreyfus as the voice of Lily, image courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios © 2026</figcaption></figure>



Adapted from Leonie Swann’s bestselling novel, Three Bags Full, by Craig Mazin (the man behind The Last of Us and Chernobyl), this is herds away from bleak, end-of-the-world drama. Instead, we’re in a picture-perfect English village where Farmer George &#8211; a happy-as-a-lamb Hugh Jackman &#8211; reads crime novels to his flock, sleeps among them, and has managed to annoy just about everyone else in town.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-17-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg" alt="Nicholas Braun stars as Officer Tim Derry. in The Sheep Detectives" class="wp-image-137908" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-17-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-17-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-600x400.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-17-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-1000x667.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nicholas Braun stars as Officer Tim Derry. Image credit: Alex Bailey © 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. </figcaption></figure>



So when George suddenly drops dead, it falls to his herd to crack the case &#8211; and nudge the village’s slightly out-of-his-depth copper Tim (Nicholas Braun, aka Cousin Greg in&nbsp;Succession) in the right direction. With no shortage of suspects, a recently amended will, a formidable lawyer (played by a purple power-suited Emma Thompson having a blast) and a juicy financial motive, they have their work cut out. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="749" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-11-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg" alt="Emma Thompson stars as lawyer Lydia Harbottle in The Sheep Detectives" class="wp-image-137903" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-11-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-11-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-600x300.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-11-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-1000x499.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Emma Thompson stars as lawyer Lydia Harbottle. Image courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios © 2026</figcaption></figure>



The suspect list is pleasingly eclectic: a rival farmer (Tosin Cole) eyeing up the land, a butcher (Conleth Hill) with designs on the flock (gulp), a scorned ex (Hong Chau), and two estranged children with potential axes to grind. Add a meddling journalist (Nicholas Galitzine), who looks like he’s wandered in from a live-action&nbsp;Scooby-Doo, into the mix and you have a very busy whodunnit on your, um, hooves.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-14-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg" alt="The Sheep Detectives cast: Nicholas Braun, Molly Gordon, Kobna Holbrook-Smith, Hong Chau, Conleth Hill and Tosin Cole" class="wp-image-137898" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-14-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-14-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-600x400.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-14-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-1000x666.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nicholas Braun, Molly Gordon, Kobna Holbrook-Smith, Hong Chau, Conleth Hill and Tosin Cole. Image credit: Alex Bailey © 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. </figcaption></figure>



But let’s be honest &#8211; you’re here for the sheep. And they absolutely steal the show. Voiced by an outrageously stacked cast, each member of the flock has a distinct (and frequently hilarious) personality &#8211; from the sharp and shrewd Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) to the strong silent loner Sebastian (Bryan Cranston) to full-blown chaos merchants Ronnie and Reggie (both voiced by Brett Goldstein). Their running commentary delivers most of the film’s biggest laughs, including a genuinely inspired riff on the eternal “why did the chicken cross the road?” gag. It’s silly, self-aware and just the right side of twee &#8211; although fair warning: the lambs are weaponised levels of cute, and yes I know they are CGI!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="499" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-13-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-1000x499.jpg" alt="Chris O’Dowd as the voice of Mopple and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the voice of Lily in The Sheep Detectives" class="wp-image-137901" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-13-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-1000x499.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-13-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-600x299.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-13-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chris O’Dowd as the voice of Mopple and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the voice of Lily. Image courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios © 2026</figcaption></figure>



Yes, there’s a death, but the film skips gently over George’s demise, instead weaving in surprisingly thoughtful ideas about memory, denial and what comes next &#8211; courtesy of the sheep’s charmingly selective recollections and the slightly heartbreaking realisation that they don’t, in fact, become fluffy clouds.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="748" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-5-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg" alt="Regina Hall as the voice of Cloud, Chris O'Dowd as the voice of Mopple and Julia-Louis Dreyfus as the voice of Lily in The Sheep Dtectives" class="wp-image-137896" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-5-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-5-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-600x299.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Sheep-Detectives-Image-5-See-It-First-Bank-Holiday-Weekend-May-2-4-In-Cinemas-May-8-1000x499.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(L to R) Regina Hall as the voice of Cloud, Chris O&#8217;Dowd as the voice of Mopple and Julia-Louis Dreyfus as the voice of Lily image courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios © 2026</figcaption></figure>



Kids will lap it up. Adults might wish for a few more blink-and-you-miss-it gags in the&nbsp;Shrek&nbsp;mould, but that aside, this is an easy, breezy crowd-pleaser that’s hard not to warm to. You’d be baaa-my not to crack a smile.



The Sheep Detectives is available to watch in cinemas nationwide from Fri 8 May, in the meantime, have your fill on the trailer below.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The Sheep Detectives | Official Trailer 2" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/826SRt1CFbg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



Reviewer Claire Hool



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



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Film Review: ‘The Sheep Detectives’ (PG)

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