Channing Tatum was once best known as the shirtless hunk from the Magic Mike franchise, but in the 13 years since that first film’s release, he has become so much more. Not only does he hold his own as a serious dramatic actor, having just last year delivered a wildly intense performance in the thriller Blink Twice, he’s also become a comedian in his own right, giving us hilariously quotable performances in the Jump Street franchise.
After a decade of fans yelling “My name is Jeff” in the actor’s direction and countless memes, he is hitting the big screen as real-life convict Jeffrey Manchester in the new film Roofman. As a Jeff myself, I found this coincidence to be too much to ignore, and I had to ask the actor whether or not he had thought of this. Not only does Tatum also get a kick out of it, but he pointed out another Jeff connection via the film’s primary setting, a vintage Toys “R” Us store:
As a proud Jeff, I accept Channing Tatum’s apology on behalf of Jeffs everywhere. It is true that, upon learning my name, folks feel immediately inclined to spit that quote right at me, almost as if it’s a knee-jerk reaction. It was worth it, though, as Tatum is undeniably hilarious in the Jump Street franchise, and it turns out that he even improvised some key scenes. If you’re not familiar with the scene in question from 22 Jump Street, allow me:
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Truthfully, this is a good legacy for Jeffs to have. Usually, “Jeff” is used as a punchline in order to represent someone or something that is basic, average or unremarkable. Take the titular stoner from Jeff Who Lives At Home, for example, or this scene from another Jonah Hill-starring film, Get Him To The Greek, which refers to Jeffs as perhaps the least intimidating bloke one can imagine:
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Roofman also has plenty of comedy, but it deals with quite a bit more serious subject matter than the Jump Street films. Channing Tatum teamed up director Derek Cianfrance, who was able to secure the actor quite a few years after he turned down the leading role in his sophomore effort, Blue Valentine. The result is pretty fantastic, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Roofman was one day considered to be one of Channing Tatum’s best films.
As for Jump Street, they definitely wrote the last installment to be a franchise ender, but there is constant talk of whether or not 23 Jump Street will come to fruition and exactly what that will look like. Not that it matters much in the larger scope of Tatum’s career, as he’s never been stronger as a box office draw. He’s currently shooting Avengers: Doomsday, his second appearance as Gambit.
In the meantime, however, you can watch him play yet another Jeff in Roofman in theaters right now! As for everything else coming our way on the 2025 movie release schedule, keep it right here at CinemaBlend.