Channing Tatum’s new film "Roofman" dramatizes a true story about a small-time thief and premiered at the Toronto Film Festival before a planned wide release Oct. 10.
The film recounts an incident in which the thief broke into a McDonald’s to steal apple pie and cash. Principal photography took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, near the location where the events that inspired the movie occurred.
Tatum, who leads the cast, described the picture as a study of a person he called "talented at lying," and noted the production’s proximity to the real-life events. "We shot in Charlotte, NC, near where the thing really happened," he said in promotional remarks.
Peter Dinklage, who appears in the film as an antagonist, said he was drawn to the story’s unusual qualities. "I love what I do for a living. Like finding new stories. This one’s fascinating," he said. Kirsten Dunst also appears in the film in a supporting role.
Producers positioned "Roofman" as a dramatization of a localized, unusual crime rather than a large-scale heist picture, focusing on character and circumstance. The film’s inclusion at the Toronto Film Festival gave it a public showcase ahead of its commercial opening; festival screenings typically serve as an early gauge of critical and audience response.
Details about the filmmakers behind "Roofman" and wider critical reaction from the Toronto screenings were not disclosed in the initial promotional materials. The film will be distributed commercially beginning Oct. 10, when it becomes available to general audiences in theaters.
"Roofman" joins a slate of recent films that adapt smaller true-crime episodes into character-driven dramas. The producers and cast have emphasized the story’s specificity and the challenges of translating a compact, real-world episode into a feature-length drama, saying the project offered unexpected narrative and tonal opportunities.
Promotional appearances by the cast accompanied the festival debut, and the studio has set marketing toward the fall release. Further information, including additional cast confirmations and critical reviews, is expected to appear as the Oct. 10 opening approaches.