Roofman

In 1998, Jeffrey Manchester is a divorced U.S. Army veteran living in North Carolina. Struggling to provide for his three young children, Jeffrey is reminded by Steve, his friend and fellow member of the 82nd Airborne Division, of his powerful skills of observation. Jeffrey uses his knack for noticing and exploiting routines to rob a McDonald's fast food restaurant, breaking in through the roof at night. Surprising the morning shift, Jeffrey orders the employees into the walk-in freezer but treats them kindly, even handing over his own coat to the manager to wear before escaping with the contents of the safe.

Over the next two years, Jeffrey uses the same strategy over 40 times, capturing the attention of the authorities and the media as the mysterious "Roofman". Arrested at his daughter's birthday party after attempting to flee, he is sentenced to 45 years in prison while his ex-wife, Talana, ends his contact with their children.

Using his ingenuity, he escapes prison and calls Steve. Steve reprimands him for calling him and says he has to call back within a month. He conceals himself inside a Toys "R" Us store, subsisting on candy and observing the employees.

He decides to wait out the month in the store, watching the employees on camera. He takes a liking to Leigh, after seeing her manager, Mitch being harsh on her, wanting to be strict on corporate policies. Mitch won't donate toys for the toy drive Leigh has organized at her church.

Jeffrey then steals the toys and donates in front of the church. Here, he is ambushed by a churchgoer who forces him inside. After the sermon, Jeffrey is forced to make contact with the people and claims to be John, a visiting New Yorker. The people try to set him up with Leigh.

Leigh and Jeffrey connect and after a few dates. Jeffrey suggests to meet her daughters, missing his own children. The month has passed and Jeffrey calls Steve. Steve's girlfriend answers the call and tells him that Steve left for a six month contract with Afghanistan.

Resigned, Jeffrey keeps visiting Leigh and her daughters, even teaching the oldest daughter how to drive. The four of them starts to build a life together.

Six months has passed, Jeffrey visits Steve, who tells him that he can get a new passport and documents for 50K. Desperate to forge a new life, Jeffrey robs the Toys "R" Us store at gunpoint, taking everyone hostage and pistol-whipping an armed security guard. Leigh arrives during the robbery and recognizes him. Jeffrey escapes and delivers the money to Steve. Steve then implores him to cut ties with everyone forever when he arrives. Jeffrey is on his way to the airport when Leigh calls him and asks if he comes for the Christmas dinner that day and that she loves him. Tearful at the thought of leaving them behind, he turns the car around.

Jeffrey is at Leigh's door when he's ambushed by the police. Another 32 years are added to his prison sentence. Not planning to escape anymore, Jeffrey tries to make a life for himself at the prison. Leigh visits him and forgives him.

During the credits, photographs of the real Jeffrey Manchester are shown, along with footage from local news reports in 2004 related to the case, and interviews with the real Leigh as well as others who interacted with Manchester. Manchester has tried to escape the prison twice since then.

• Channing Tatum as Jeffrey Manchester / "John Zorn", a former United States Army non-commissioned officer turned criminal
• Kirsten Dunst as Leigh Wainscott, a Toys "R" Us employee, single mother, and Jeffrey's love interest
• LaKeith Stanfield as Steve, Jeff's friend and former sergeant, now running a fake ID operation
• Juno Temple as Michelle, Steve's girlfriend
• Peter Dinklage as Mitch, manager of the Toys "R" Us store
• Ben Mendelsohn as Ron Smith, pastor of Leigh's church
• Uzo Aduba as Eileen Smith, Ron's wife
• Emory Cohen as Otis, a Toys "R" Us employee
• Melonie Diaz as Talana, Jeff's ex-wife
• Molly Price as Sergeant Katherine Scheimreif, a police officer leading the hunt for Jeffrey
• Lily Collias as Lindsay Wainscott, Leigh's elder daughter
• Kennedy Moyer as Dee Wainscott, Leigh's younger daughter
• Alissa Marie Pearson as Becky, Jeffrey's daughter
• Tony Revolori as Duane, manager of a McDonald's robbed by Jeffrey
• Kathryn Stamas as Kami, one of the churchgoers who initially meets Manchester
• Jimmy O. Yang as a used-car salesman
• Punkie Johnson as a police officer

Several people involved in the real-life story of Jeffrey Manchester have cameos in the film. Charles Cummings, who drove the truck used by Manchester to escape from prison, appears as the same truck driver; Katherine Scheimreif, Manchester's arresting officer, appears as a retired police officer at a church singles event; Leigh Moore, née Wainscott, appears as a crossing guard; Ron Smith, Wainscott's pastor, appears as a pawn shop employee; and Chris Kimbell, a SWAT officer, appears as one of the police officers who discover Manchester's hiding place.^[7]

The project was announced in February 2024 with Derek Cianfrance as director from a script he wrote with Kirt Gunn. The screenplay was based on an earlier script by David Stephens and Peter Petrucci.^[8] Dylan Sellers and Chris Parker produced through the Limelight production company alongside Jamie Patricof and Lynette Howell Taylor. Channing Tatum was to star.^[9] Ben Mendelsohn and Kirsten Dunst joined the cast in September 2024.^[10][11] In October 2024, Miramax acquired distribution rights to the project, with parent Paramount Pictures distributing on its behalf in the United States and United Kingdom with financing handled by Aperture Media Partners and FilmNation Entertainment handling international sales.^[12] Peter Dinklage, Uzo Aduba, Juno Temple, LaKeith Stanfield, Molly Price, Melonie Diaz, Lily Collias, Emory Cohen, and Tony Revolori joined the cast.^[13][14]

Principal photography began on October 24, 2024, in Gastonia, North Carolina.^[15] Filming wrapped on December 12, 2024.^[16] Cinematographer Andrij Parekh shot the film on 35mm, marking his second collaboration with Cianfrance.^[17] Some of the filming locations include Freedom Park, Mecklenburg County Jail North, and the Gaston County Courthouse. Jim Helton edited the film.^[18] Christopher Bear composed the score for the film.^[19]

Roofman had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025.^[20][21] It was released in the United States on October 10, 2025,^[22] moved from its original release date of October 3, 2025.^[23]

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