Director Derek Cianfrance told Entertainment Weekly that Tatum spoke to the real Manchester frequently for research.
Channing Tatum takes on a real-life robber in Roofman.
The crime dramedy, which was released in theaters on Oct. 10, tells the true story of convicted robber Jeffrey Manchester, who became notorious in the late 1990s for his unique method of robbing McDonald's and other fast food chains through their rooftops. He later hid in a Toys "R" Us for several months after escaping from prison, per TIME.
Although Manchester eventually returned to prison -- where he remains today -- director Derek Cianfrance told PEOPLE ahead of the film's release that he spoke with Manchester "about four times a week for four years" for research.
"The more I heard his story, the more I just couldn't believe it was actually real," Cianfrance said. "I talked to the police that arrested him, and sure enough, they said, 'Yeah, that's what happened.' "
Here's everything to know about the true story behind Roofman.
Manchester snuck into fast food chains through the roof before robbing them
Manchester was a former California U.S. military sergeant and divorced father of three, per The Charlotte Observer. According to the Los Angeles Times, he began his string of robberies around November 1998.
He would sneak into hamburger restaurants and other businesses -- from McDonald's and Burger King to Toys "R" Us and Blockbuster -- by creating a hole through the roof and sneakily entering. According to the outlet, he struck 38 times across nine states as of April 2000.
For years, he went unidentified and was referred to as the "Roofman" or "Rooftop Robber."
He would lock the employees in the freezer
While robbing the establishments, he would lock the employees in the walk-in freezers and later call the cops to open the cooler, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Per the outlet, victims said he often remained cordial, suggesting they put on their jackets before he locked them up.
Police detective Brian Scott told the Los Angeles Times that he wasn't the "typical" robber, as he often "[joked]" with his victims.
"As he herds them into the cooler, he'll say 'Well, look at it this way, at least you'll get the rest of the day off,' " Scott told the outlet.
He was sentenced to 45 years in prison, but escaped after four
In May 2000, Manchester was caught and arrested after robbing a McDonald's in Belmont, N.C., per The Charlotte Observer.
According to TIME, he was meant to serve 45 years, but escaped after four.
On June 15, 2004, Manchester escaped from Brown Creek Correctional Institution by clinging to the undercarriage of a truck, per The Charlotte Observer. Once the truck took him beyond the prison's walls, he made it undetected to the main road and got a ride to a nearby gas station from an unknowing prison math teacher, and then hitched a lift to Charlotte, N.C., from a trucker.
Manchester then hid in a Toys "R" Us for several months
After escaping prison, Manchester holed up inside of a Toys "R" Us in Charlotte for several months, using baby monitors to surveil his surroundings when he was hidden during the day, per TIME.
According to The Charlotte Observer, an employee became suspicious after items appeared to be missing, and later found evidence that someone had been sleeping on an inflatable pool float behind a false wall.
But the escaped convict simply moved to another part of the building and went unnoticed, per the outlet.
He assumed an alias and began dating a local woman
Around November 2004, Manchester began going to a local church and using the alias "John Zorn" as he ventured into town, per The Charlotte Observer. At the church, he met a single mom named Leigh Wainscott.
After getting to know each another at a singles brunch at TGI Friday's, she asked Manchester out and they began dating shortly after.
In the movie, Kirsten Dunst takes on Manchester's love interest, but rather than her being a local woman he met at church, she is an employee at the toy store.
According to The Charlotte Observer, Wainscott was under the impression that "John" was unmarried and childless and had no idea about his criminal activities. Per the outlet, he allegedly said he worked a government job that he couldn't tell them about.
His girlfriend helped police re-capture him
In January 2005, Wainscott was at work when she was confronted by police officers who showed her a photo of her boyfriend and informed her of his true identity, per The Charlotte Observer.
Wainscott then cooperated with the police to set up a trap to help them re-catch Manchester. It happened to be her birthday, and she and “John,” whom she had been dating for a few months at that point, had plans to celebrate at dinner that evening.
Wainscott called him to confirm what time he would be picking her up for dinner, and police officers were able to track him down as he was driving to her apartment, per the outlet. Though he made one stop for flowers on the way, Manchester eventually made it to Wainscott’s apartment and was arrested just after knocking on the front door.
Manchester is still in prison but gave his input during the development of Roofman
Although Manchester remains in prison, he was looped in on many aspects of the film's production -- and had his own opinions about which actor was chosen to portray him.
Cianfrance recalled to TIME that Manchester requested he "cast someone uglier" than Tatum, but ultimately changed his mind.
"Then he started talking to Channing and he was like,'You know, Channing and I have a lot in common. We both have a very high motor. We both played defensive end and we're both extremely good looking,'"
the director recalled.
Meanwhile,Tatum told PEOPLE that he also spoke with Manchester during the film's development.
"He's a wildly charismatic and warm human,"
Tatum said of his conversation with Manchester.
Manchester hasn't yet seen the film; although he did watch a clip on local news where Tatum skates around Toys "R" Us with a teddy bear. He was pleased with the depiction,Cianfrance told TIME.
"Jeff says,'That makes me so happy to hear,' "
he said.'The thing that most people don't realize is that if you lock yourself in a toy store for six months,it has a way of bringing out your inner child,and I'm really happy that Channing got a chance to experience that.'
Manchester remains in prison today at Central Prison in Raleigh,per the North Carolina Department of Corrections. He is expected to be released in 2036.