In this December 2019 update on open captions in movie theaters, we focus on Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, share an article and a video, spotlight a theater chain, and provide the current status of important bills for open captions in Vermont and DC.

Star Wars

This weekend, millions will go to see Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker. Largely excluded: deaf and hard of hearing people and others who need or want open captions.

Nationwide, fewer than 40 theaters are known to be offering it at least one day over opening weekend (12/19-12/22). Below are known theaters by state. It will likely open in over 4,200 theaters; so far that’s only .00952 or .95 percent, less than 2 percent of all theaters screening it in the United States. More are being added daily as they are found or theaters post, but it will be less than 2 percent. This list will be updated daily on the petition site at tinyurl.com/DecemberOCUpdate.

1. Arkansas (Little Rock): Movie Tavern (private screening)
2. California (Fremont): Century at Pacific Commons
3. California (Newark): AMC Newpark 12
4. California (Ridgecrest): Ridgecrest Cinemas
5. California (San Diego): Reading Cinemas Town Square
6. California (Santa Clara): AMC Mercado 20
7. California (Westminster): Regency Westminster 10
8. Colorado (Colorado Springs): Icon Cinema Colorado Springs (private screening)
9. Colorado (Denver): Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake
10. Colorado (Fort Collins): AMC Classic Fort Collins 10
11. DC: Regal Gallery Place Stadium 14
12. DC: Lockheed Martin IMAX, Air and Space Museum
13. DC: Landmark Atlantic Plumbing
14. DC: AMC Georgetown
15. DC: AMC Mazza Gallerie
16. Delaware (Wilmington): Penn Cinema
17. Idaho (Blackfoot) Royal Theaters Blackfoot
18. Maine (Belfast): Colonial Theatre
19. Maryland (Frederick): Regal Westview Stadium
20. Maryland (Glen Burnie): Horizon Cinemas Marley Station Mall
21. Montana (Great Falls): AMC Classic Great Falls 10
22. New York (Rochester): Regal Henrietta
23. North Carolina (Fayetteville): AMC Fayetteville 14
24. Oregon (Portland): Regal Pioneer Place
25. Texas (Austin): Alama Drafthouse Slaughter Lane
26. Texas (Austin): Regal Gateway & IMAX
27. Texas (College Station) Star Cinema Grill
28. Texas (Corpus Christi): Alamo Drafthouse Corpus Christi
29. Texas (New Braunfels): Alamo Drafthouse Marketplace
30. Texas (San Antonio): Alamo Drafthouse Park North
31. Texas (San Antonio): Santikos Galaxy
32. Texas (San Antonio): Santikos Northwest 14
33. Utah (West Valley City) : Megaplex Valley Fair
34. Virginia (Alexandria): AMC Hoffman
35. Virginia (Alexandria): Regal Potomac Yard
36. Virginia (Woodbridge): AMC Potomac Mills
37. Washington (Bellingham): Regal Barkley Village
38. Wisconsin (Madison): AMC Madison
39. Wisconsin (New Berlin): Marcus Ridge

Articles

Although it is about closed captions and not open captions, this article about the requirement for closed captions in Tacoma, Washington is an example of how local ordinances improve accessibility. Some localities have the authority to regulate movie theaters and can require open captions through an ordinance.

Videos

Two people were so happy when their local AMC theater in South Carolina began offering open captions that they made a video. Video is in sign language with transcript in comments.

• Facebook
• YouTube

Theater Spotlight

Horizon Cinemas in Maryland gets it, and they have since 2014. Three of their locations have an announcement, “Open captions available by request. Please make request at least 2 hours prior to the show.” Just like that, they will turn on open captions anytime for any movie. The announcement can be seen on their website under Amenities on the left side of the page. The three locations are:

1. Horizon Cinemas Marley Station (Glen Burnie)
2. Horizon Cinemas Beltway Plaza (Baltimore)
3. Horizon Cinemas Sun Valley (Glen Burnie)

Legislation

By the time the next update is sent out, 2020 legislative sessions will have begun nationwide. Two to watch are Vermont, and Washington, DC.

Vermont

Vermont’s bill is H.312, “An act relating to open movie captioning in movie theaters.” The bill’s current status is that it is awaiting a hearing under the House Human Services Committee. Vermont’s House has 149 representatives; of these, 12 are sponsoring the bill:

1. Rep. Cordes, Mari [D]
2. Rep. Gardner, Marcia [D]
3. Rep. Killacky, John [D]
4. Rep. McCormack, Curtis [D]
5. Rep. McCullough, James [D]
6. Rep. Patt, Avram [D]
7. Rep. Potter, David [D]
8. Rep. Rosenquist, Carl [R]
9. Rep. Smith, Harvey [R]
10. Rep. Sullivan, Mary [D]
11. Rep. Walz, Tommy [D]
12. Rep. Yantachka, Michael [D]

If you live in Vermont and your representative is not in the above list, use the “Find a Legislator” page to identify your legislator. Contact your Vermont legislator and request that he or she become a sponsor of the bill. The more sponsors the bill has, the better its chances of passing!

DC

In the District of Columbia, the “Open Movie Captioning Requirement Act of 2019” (B23-0146) is awaiting a vote. This bill has eight sponsors (council members) out of 13 council members.

1. Allen, Charles
2. Bonds, Anita
3. Cheh, Mary
4. Evans, Jack (may no longer be a Council member)
5. Grosso, David
6. Nadeau, Brianne
7. Silverman, Elissa
8. White, Robert

If you live in the District of Columbia and your Council representative is not included in the above list, check the Council members page to find your representative. Contact your representative and request that he or she become a sponsor of the DC Bill.