The True Story Behind Roofman: Channing Tatum’s Real-Life Crime Movie Debuts With Stellar RT Score

Channing Tatum’s Roofman, based on the real-life criminal, Jeffrey Manchester, has debuted to stellar ratings, but the true story behind the crime is even more fascinating!

Known for his modus operandi, Jeffrey Manchester was known as the Roofman because of his unique way of robbing stores (which were usually McDonald’s). Surveying the site, Manchester would make a hole in the roof and enter the building while hiding in spots like the washroom.

Emerging from his hiding place and waving a gun, Manchester would rob and flee. The 2025 film explores a significant moment in Manchester’s life, where he hid in the walls of a vacant Circuit City store next to a Toys “R” Us store for several months. The Channing Tatum film follows the time that Jeffrey Manchester lived near Toys “R” Us and his eventual capture by the police.

Channing Tatum’s Roofman Debuts to Stellar Ratings

A still from Roofman | Credits: High Frequency Entertainment

Announced back in February of 2024, Roofman had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025 on September 6. The film was originally slated to release worldwide on October 3, but its date was pushed back to October 10.

Despite the delay in release, some critics were lucky enough to see the film early on at TIFF. Much to the surprise of fans, critics gave the film an overwhelmingly positive review on Rotten Tomatoes!

At the moment, the movie currently stands at a rating of 82% spread over a total of 34 reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. This is great considering that the film has managed to get a steady rating despite 34 critics reviewing the movie!

With an intriguing storyline such as this, Roofman was bound to be a quirky and engaging film. But… what happened to the real-life robber Jeffrey Manchester?

What Happened to the Real Life Jeffrey Manchester?

During his days of robbing McDonald’s at gunpoint, Jeffrey Manchester was apprehended and sentenced to 45 years of incarceration. However, after spending 4 years in Brown Creek, Polkton, Manchester found a plywood which he painted black.

Sticking it under the base of a truck, Manchester hid himself and escaped prison. While on the run, he encountered the vacant Circuit City store next to a Toys “R” Us store in Charlotte. Surviving on baby food and kids’ snacks, Jeffrey Manchester used to ride the bicycle in the aisles of Toys “R” Us during his time there.

He later robbed the Toys “R” Us store, which resulted in his being apprehended by the police again. This time, he was jailed for 40 years and is currently serving a sentence of 40 years at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina. Manchester tried unsuccessfully to escape prison in 2009 and 2017, while his current expected release date is December 4, 2036.

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Roofman will release theatrically on October 10, 2025 (USA).