Cameras are about to roll on Derek Cianfrance’s “Roofman” which stars Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst. Miramax has just landed domestic and international rights for the film. This is set to be Cianfrance’s first film in over 8 years. It’s based on a wild true crime story that happens to take place in McDonald’s restaurants and, if you can believe it, Toy ‘r Us.
“Roofman” will tackle the life of Jeffrey Manchester who, in the late ‘90s, began robbing McDonald's locations across the United States. Manchester totaled anywhere between 40–60 robberies across the country. He also lived in a Charlotte-based Toys ‘r Us for most of his spree, surviving on kids snacks and baby food, and exercising during the night when the store was closed by riding a bike throughout the store aisles.
Apparently, while all of this was happening, Manchester fell in love with a struggling mother of two and Toy ‘r Us employee (Dunst) — she had no idea that he was on the run from authorities.
Cianfrance helming “Roofman” could be a good fit. The writer-director of “Blue Valentine,” and “The Place Beyond the Pines” has only released 3 films in the last 13 years — his last one was 2016’s ill-received “The Light Between the Oceans” which I definitely saw but can’t remember a thing about.