Hugh Jackman leads woolly mystery in PH

Columbia Pictures is bringing The Sheep Detectives to Philippine cinemas this May, giving local audiences a comedy mystery that leans into a knowingly odd premise: a flock of sheep trying to solve a case their human companions cannot quite untangle.

The film stars Hugh Jackman and arrives with the kind of ensemble cast usually reserved for larger studio comedies, a sign that the picture is aiming for broad appeal rather than niche novelty.

At the center of the story is George, played by Jackman, a shepherd who reads detective novels to his sheep every night, never realizing they understand every word. When a mysterious incident disrupts life on the farm, the sheep decide they have no choice but to become detectives themselves, following clues and investigating the humans around them. That setup, lifted directly from the film’s official synopsis, gives the movie its main trick: it plays like a whodunit, but through the logic and curiosity of animals who have been quietly listening all along.

The Philippine release materials describe the film as a “comedy mystery with an all-star cast featuring Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, with Hong Chau and Emma Thompson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Rhys Darby.” That lineup alone gives the movie a certain weight. Jackman brings the marquee value, but the supporting cast suggests a film built on personality, timing, and voice work as much as plot mechanics.

The full story synopsis pushes the concept a little further. George is not just a shepherd, but a man deeply attached to his flock, reading to them each night out of habit and affection. The sheep, meanwhile, prove more observant than anyone expects. As they follow the clues and investigate human suspects, the film argues, half-jokingly and half-seriously, that even sheep can be brilliant crime-solvers. That is the tone Columbia appears to be selling: family-friendly, offbeat, and self-aware without turning cynical.

There is also a literary pedigree behind the absurdity. The Sheep Detectives is based on Leonie Swann’s 2005 novel Three Bags Full, a book that built a following on its unusual mix of detective fiction and animal perspective. The film adaptation is directed by Kyle Balda, best known for his work in animation, which makes him a sensible choice for a story that has to balance mystery plotting with talking sheep and a light comic touch.

For Philippine moviegoers, the title arrives as one of the more unusual studio releases on the May calendar. The trailer and poster campaign lean hard into the film’s playful weirdness, but the hook is simple enough to travel: a curious case, a shepherd, and a flock that may be smarter than the people around them. Sometimes that is all a mystery needs.

The Sheep Detectives opens in Philippine cinemas this May. (Photos: Columbia Pictures)