Movie theater chain AMC is adding open captions at hundreds of U.S. locations

Enlarge this image

The AMC Burbank 16 movie theatres complex pictured in April 2020 in Burbank, Calif. The chain is adding open captioning to movie showings at more than 200 locations across the U.S.

Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

hide caption

toggle caption

Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

The Indicator from Planet Money
Is Movie Night Back?

Open captions — similar to subtitles — appear on the screen and cannot be turned off, while closed captioning is displayed on electronic devices that customers must request. The company says the «vast majority» of showtimes will continue to be offered with closed captioning, meaning it will still make assisted listening devices available at all of its locations.

Every AMC market with at least two theaters will also make some open caption showtimes available weekly for all new releases, the companyt explained. Open captions will also be offered through AMC’s private theater rentals program at certain locations.

Moviegoers at participating locations can search for open-caption showtimes on AMC Theatres’ website and mobile app. They are currently available for a mix of weekend, weekday, evening and matinee showings, and the company expects them to evolve based on feedback and demand.

Movies
The 9 Biggest Movies To Watch This Fall (And Other Films That Sound Intriguing)

«Initial consumer response has been very positive, and we anticipate strong demand with growing awareness of open caption showtimes at AMC,» Frank added.

CEO Adam Aron noted on Twitter that the open captions are coming just in time for the big-screen arrival of Disney’s Eternals. The film is set to open in theaters on Nov. 5, and features deaf actress Lauren Ridloff as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first deaf superhero.

Ridloff spoke about the moviegoing experience in an interview with the The New York Times last month, describing deaf people as «an afterthought in movie theaters» and calling for change.

«You have to use a special closed-captioning device to watch subtitling in a theater, and it’s a headache, because most of the time the devices don’t work,» she explained. «Then you have to go back to the front desk and find somebody to help, and by the time they figure it out that it’s not working — that it’s not going to be subtitled at all — the movie’s halfway done.»

Disability rights advocates have long sought to make theaters more accessible, from better audio dubbing to smartphone closed-captioning technology.

Shots — Health News
There’s A Better Way To ‘Dub’ Movie Audio For Visually Impaired Fans

Many are praising AMC for its recent announcement.

Christian Vogler, a professor and director of the Technology Access Program at Gallaudet University in D.C., told the Washington Post that deaf and hard of hearing advocates «have been asking for expanded access to open captions since forever.»

He also said that expanding accessibility could improve the experience of all moviegoers, noting that captions are useful in many scenarios and are being used in more and more places as the technology expands.

American Paralympian Chuck Aoki praised AMC’s move as «absolutely phenomenal» in a tweet.

«Captions aren’t harmful to the experience, but help millions enjoy the movie more,» he wrote. «Well done!»

This story originally appeared on the Morning Edition live blog.