Channing Tatum starring in true crime film Roofman

Channing Tatum is to star in 'Roofman'.

The 43-year-old actor has boarded the cast of the true crime story that is being directed by Derek Cianfrance.

The picture is based on the remarkable story of Jeffrey Manchester, an eccentric robber who broke into more than 60 McDonald's restaurants overnight via their roofs before emptying the cash registers in the morning after herding staff into freezers.

He became known as the 'Rooftop Robber' or 'Roofman' and was known for his gentle demeanour and rarely being violent.

Manchester was convicted and imprisoned in 2000 but escaped from jail and evaded capture for months by holing up in a Toys 'R Us and Circuit City store in North Carolina.

He survived on baby food and would ride bicycles around the toy store for exercise before being recaptured and sent back to prison after leaving his fingerprints on a DVD in the electronics store.

Cianfrance and Kirt Gunn have written the script for the movie, which is being produced by Dylan Sellers and Chris Parker through their Limelight banner along with the 'Blue Valentine' filmmaker's regular collaborators Jamie Patricof and Lynette Howell Taylor.

Limelight has developed the project and will fully finance the film.

Meanwhile, Channing recently expressed fear about the impact that streaming will have on the film industry and the quality of storytelling.

The 'Magic Mike' star told Forbes: "The movie industry is just changing so much. It's a different era now and it's just getting crazier with the streamers. I do fear a little for the storytelling of it all. I think there will be less good storytelling and a lot more product out there."