Directed by Derek Cianfrance and written with Kirt Gunn, Roofman brings together Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, and Ben Mendelsohn in a feature film that blends comedy, drama, and thriller. Produced for Amazon and streaming exclusively on Prime Video starting December 26, 2025, the film is based on the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, known for robbing McDonald's restaurants before hiding out for several months in a Toys "R" Us store.
The film traces the journey of Jeffrey Manchester, a former soldier who turned to the dark side after a series of methodical burglaries whose distinctive feature was his point of entry: the rooftops. After his arrest and spectacular escape, he manages to take refuge in a vast shopping complex in North Carolina, finding unexpected shelter in an abandoned Toys "R" Us. The story focuses on describing his clandestine daily life, his tricks for survival, and the bonds he unwittingly forms with the outside world.
Behind this unlikely escape, the film depicts the dilemmas of a man torn between survival and the desire for redemption. His relationships with several local residents become central emotional issues, revealing the fragility of a fugitive seeking to maintain an ordinary identity. The story plays on the tension between invisibility and proximity, showing how a secret existence eventually collides with reality.
The official trailer will be added as soon as it is released by Amazon Prime Video.
The project is developed by Amazon MGM Studios and is a continuation of Derek Cianfrance's work on marginalized characters, following Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines, and his collaboration on the miniseries I Know This Much Is True. Filmed between Atlanta and Wilmington, the feature film recreates the commercial spaces of the early 2000s thanks to extensive art direction, supported by sets built to replicate a Toys "R" Us of the time. The production emphasizes its basis in real events, drawing on police reports and articles that documented the Manchester case.
The film adopts a hybrid tone, combining criminal tension, moments of discreet irony, and psychological portraiture, in line with stories of escape centered on atypical figures, such as Catching the Friedmans or certain works by Soderbergh. The pace favors observation, alternating between scenes of clandestine resourcefulness and more intimate interactions. This approach will appeal as much to fans of fictionalized true crime as to viewers interested in character studies or unconventional heist movies.
Roofman
Film | 2025
On Prime Video December 26, 2025
Comedy, Drama, Thriller | Running time: 2h06
By Derek Cianfrance | Starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn
Nationality: United States
By revisiting the story of Jeffrey Manchester, the film offers an approach focused on the ingenuity, loneliness, and contradictions of a criminal figure who became the object of media fascination. The staging focuses on the enclosed space of the store as a narrative territory, while the story questions the boundary between survival, lies, and the desire for normality.
To go further, check out our selection of new Prime Video releases for December, our guide to streaming releases across all platforms, and today's selection of What to watch today on streaming.
