AMC logo. Photo: Noam Galai/WireImage
AMC Theatres announced last Friday that it will add onscreen captioning to select showtimes across the U.S. to make movies more accessible for people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Why it matters: AMC, one of the largest movie theater chains in the world, implemented the onscreen captions after disability rights advocates pushed to make theaters more accessible, according to NPR.
The big picture: AMC rolled out onscreen captioning to 240 locations in more than 100 markets, or roughly 40% of the company's U.S. theaters, the Washington Post reports.
Details: Open captions appear on the screen for all viewers and can't be turned off during a movie.
- Closed captioning, which is displayed on electronic devices that customers must request individually, will still be available along with assisted listening devices, the company said in a statement.
Between the lines: CEO Adam Aron said on Twitter that the open captions will come in time for Disney's "Eternals" which will be released in theaters on Nov. 5.
- The movie features deaf actress Lauren Ridloff as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first deaf superhero.
What they're saying: Executive vice president of worldwide programming and chief content officer Elizabeth Frank said that "inclusive programming is core to AMC's strategy."
- "By adding open captions to the variety of presentation formats we offer, AMC locations become a more welcoming place for millions of Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as many for whom English is not their native language," Frank said.