Today we discovered the AMC Colonial 18 in Lawrenceville, Georgia now displays open captions on its home page list of theater features.

I emailed the Alamo Drafthouse in St. Louis today. I was surprised to get a quick response. The answer was still no.

We dont offer "open captioned" screenings, but do have CC devices you can grab from our concierge desk, good for 90% of movies shown at our theatre.

Found this theater in Oelwein has open captions. The home page at https://oelweingrandtheatre.com/ says open captions available three times a week. This is a small, historic independent theater.

Just discovered the Illinois Theater in Jacksonville, Illinois has open caption screenings - and plenty of them! They proudly and boldly announce the availability of open captions via their listings on the home page. Every movie that has open caption screenings available, has a bright green attention-getting button that says "Open caption showings." The website for the theater proclaims that it is a historic theater under new ownership. The new owners clearly believe in accessibility for all.

We just discovered that the Stanwood Cinemas in Stanwood, Washington state has open captions. There's no information about it on their website or facebook page. Made the accidental discovery via the BigScreen Cinema Guide automated tool for finding open caption screenings. This theater appears to have dedicated Tuesdays to open captions for every movie.

Saw Spider-Man the other day at an AMC. In middle of day when most people were at work, so we thought we might get the whole auditorium to ourselves. No such luck. There was a family in the upper rows behind us.

Monitoring Cinemark theaters this weekend for Spider-Man. Only a few states have Cinemark theaters offering open captions: California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Utah, Virginia. Delaware has one too but their OC screening was yesterday - Friday, at 9:30 am so we missed it. And NONE in Texas, where Cinemark is actually based!!

So far, every Cinemark that has an open caption screening today of Spider-Man has sold at least a few seats.

We have been coming across theaters that are offering two, even three, open caption screenings of Spider-Man in ONE day. Something we haven't observed before, even for the Odyssey.

Across the nation, open caption screenings of "Spider-Man BND" and "The Odyssey" are seeing what may be record attendance for open caption screenings. Think about it - theaters are offering many screenings without on-screen captions, yet people are buying tickets for the open caption screenings. This proves people WILL go to open caption screenings when a movie is hot. When a movie is hot, suddenly the on-screen captions are viewed as "no big deal," it is a screening we can go to! This screenshot is from today's OC screening of Spider-Man at the Galaxy in Riverside, California. The theater has 22 non-captioned screenings of Spider-Man today, so the theater's customers have plenty of other choices. We have seen, and are getting reports of, sell-outs and near-sell-outs of open caption screenings across the nation.

Just think of all the people with and without hearing loss who may be experiencing an open caption screening for the first time ever! The twin success of "Spider-Man BND" and "The Odyssey" is probably doing much more for acceptance of open captions than anything else.

Yet another bad experience with closed captions. This person so upset he may never go back to his theater.

A growing trend we are seeing per Reddit comments in other subs, is for moviegoers to seek out open caption screenings as "another way" to experience a movie. After IMAX, Dolby, and whatever premium viewing format a theater has, what's left if you want to see a movie a second or even a third time with a different kind of experience? Answer: open captions. This trend, if it is truly growing, may be a good reason for a theater to continue to offer open captions beyond the usual first two weeks of release. We are fortunate enough to live where we have theaters that do this, and so we don't feel the pressure to rush to go to a movie in the first two weeks.

With its large immigrant population, New York City is probably the biggest open caption market. The following screenshots are for open caption screenings today, "preview Thursday," of Spider-Man Brand New Day, taken around 6:30 am which means that later today some of these may sell out.

Another one seeking a repeat viewing of "The Odyssey" with open captions.

Comments indicate the growing popularity of open caption screenings as a way to experience a movie differently. Like for repeat viewings. Note: repeat viewings are one measure of success for a movie.

More frustration.

How frustrating!!! Wherever this person lives, they need to fight for an open caption law in their state!

Wyoming is a largely rural state, but it does have movie theaters. Wyomovies is the largest chain in Wyoming, and they won't offer open caption screenings. They did have very rarely offered sensory-friendly screenings with open captions before, but appear to have dropped them. One theater in the entire state has open captions. Below that sole theater we have a second list of theaters that do not offer open captions, and most if not all the bigger ones perfectly capable of doing so, are the Wyomovies theaters.

WYOMING THEATERS OFFERING OPEN CAPTIONS

1. Worland: Washakie Cinemas (Manually Programmed Independent Theater (offers open captions)) 2 ✓ (2026-07-25)

WYOMING THEATERS NOT OFFERING OPEN CAPTIONS

1. Buffalo: Buffalo Theater 2
2. Casper: Wyomovies Studio City East 10
3. Casper: Wyomovies Studio City at Mesa 11
4. Cheyenne: Warren Theater (second run and older films) 1
5. Cheyenne: Wyomovies Capitol Cinema 16
6. Cody: Big Horn Cinemas 4
7. Douglas: Princess Theatre 1
8. Evanston: Aspen Cinemas The Strand 1
9. Evanston: Aspen Cinemas 4
10. Gillette: Wyomovies Studio City Foothills 8
11. Jackson: MovieWorks Cinema 4
12. Kemmerer: Victory Theater 1
13. Lander: Barry Cinemas Grand Theater 1
14. Laramie: Wyomovies Studio City UW 10
15. Laramie: Regal Fox 6
16. Lovell: Hyart Theater 1
17. Lyman: Valley Theatre 1
18. Marbleton: Flicks n Pins 2
19. Newcastle: Dogie Theatre 1
20. Powell: Vali Twin Cinema 2
21. Powell: American Dream Drive-in 1
22. Rawlins; The Movies 3
23. Riverton: Barry Cinemas Gem Theater 4
24. Riverton: Barry Cinemas Acme Theater 1
25. Rock Springs: Wyomovies Star Entertainment Center 11
26. Sheridan: Centennial Theatre 6
27. Thermopolis: Mickys Movie Theater 1
28. Torrington: Torrington Cinemas 2
29. Wheatland: Cinema West 1

Wisconsin has barely two handfuls of theaters that offer regular open caption screenings. Statewide, there are eight times as many theaters that do not, including more than 20 with eight or more screens. Marcus Wisconsin used to have several theaters offering open captions on Sundays, today we could only verify three still do. To make matters worse, the Marcus movie listings do not display an OC label; only when going to the "select seat" page, is there an open caption label. We had to rely on automated tools to verify the remaining Marcus theaters still offering open captions. On top of that, we found at least one AMC theater (AMC Classic Desert Star in Baraboo, Wisconsin) had quit offering open captions. Wisconsin needs a law to mandate a minimal number of open caption screenings at the larger cinemas and to protect the little that Wisconsin has left.

WISCONSIN MOVIE THEATERS OFFERING OPEN CAPTIONS

1. Appleton: Marcus Hollywood Cinema 16 ✓ (2026-07-25)
2. Beloit: Classic Cinemas Beloit (Manually Programmed Independent Theater (offers open captions)) 10 ✓
3. Delafield: Marcus Hillside 14 ✓
4. Fitchburg: AMC Fitchburg 18 ✓ (2026-07-25)
5. Green Bay: Marcus Green Bay East Cinema 12 ✓ (2026-07-25)
6. Lake Geneva: Emagine Geneva Lakes 10 ✓ (2026-07-25)
7. Madison: Marcus Point Cinema 15 ✓ (2026-07-25)
8. Madison: University of Wisconsin – Madison The Marquee (older films) ✓ (2026-07-25)
9. Tomah: Ho-Chunk Cinema ✓ (2026-07-25)
10. Wauwatosa: AMC Mayfair 18 ✓ (2026-07-25)

WISCONSIN MOVIE THEATERS NOT OFFERING OPEN CAPTIONS

1. Antigo: McKenzie Palace Theatre 2
2. Appleton: Marcus Valley Grand Cinema 16
3. Ashland: Ashland Bay Cinema 6
4. Ashwaubenon: Marcus Bay Park 16
5. Baraboo: AMC Classic Desert Star 15
6. Beaver Dam: State Theatres Beaver Dam Cinema 5
7. Boscobel: State Theatres Blaine Theatre 1
8. Brookfield: Movie Tavern Brookfield Square 8
9. Burlington: Plaza Theater 4
10. Cedarburg: Rivoli Theatre 1
11. Chetek: Stardust Drive in 1
12. Chilton: Get Reel Cinemas Chilton Cinema 1
13. Chippewa Falls: Micon Cinemas 8
14. De Pere: Get Reel Cinemas De Pere 1
15. Dodgeville: State Theatres Dodge Theatre 1
16. Eagle River: Vilas Cinema 5
17. Eau Claire: Micon Cinemas Eau Claire 8
18. Eau Claire: Micon Cinemas Downtown Cinema 2
19. Eau Claire: Micon Cinemas Oakwood Mall 8
20. Elroy: Elroy Theatre 1
21. Fish Creek: Skyway Drive-in 1
22. Fond Du Lac: Odyssey Cinemas 8
23. Franklin: Milky Way Drive in 1
24. Freedom: Field of Scenes Drive in 2
25. Gilman: Grand Gilman Theatre 1
26. Greendale: Marcus Bistroplex Southridge 8
27. Hartford: Schubert Theatres Hartford 6
28. Hayward: Hayward Cinema 4
29. Hudson: CEC Theatres Hudson 12
30. Janesville: Movies 16
31. Jefferson: Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre 1
32. Johnson Creek: AMC Classic Johnson Creek 12
33. Kenosha: Cinemark Tinseltown USA Kenosha 14
34. La Crosse: Marcus La Crosse Cinema 11
35. La Crosse: Rivoli Theatre 2
36. Ladysmith: Miner Theatre 1
37. Lancaster: State Theatres Grantland Theatre 1
38. Madison: Flix Brewhouse Madison 9
39. Manitowoc: AMC Classic Manitowoc 10
40. Marinette: Mariner Theater 2
41. Marinette: Phoenix Theatre 8
42. Marshfield: Rogers Cinema Marshfield 8
43. Medford: Broadway Theatre Medford 5
44. Menomonie: CEC Theatres Menomonie 7
45. Menomonie Falls: Marcus Menomonie Falls Cinema 16
46. Merrill: Cosmo Theatre 3
47. Milwaukee: Times Cinema 1
48. Milwaukee: Oriental Theatre 3
49. Milwaukee: Downer Theatre 2
50. Milwaukee: Avalon Atmospheric Theater 2
51. Monroe: Goetz Theatre 3
52. Monroe: Sky-Vu Drive-in 1
53. Montello: Montello Theatre 1
54. New Berlin: Marcus Ridge Cinema 19
55. North Shore: Marcus North Shore Cinema 11
56. Oak Creek: Marcus South Shore Cinema 16
57. Oshkosh: Marcus Oshkosh Cinema 12
58. Phillips: Cinema North 1
59. Plattville: State Theatres Avalon Cinema 3
60. Plattville: State Theatres Millenium Cinema 5
61. Portage: Portage Theatre 7
62. Prairie du Chien: Prairie Cinema 6
63. Prairie Du Sac: Bonham Theatre 3
64. Rhinelander: Rouman Cinema 6
65. Rice Lake: CEC Theatres Lake 7
66. Richland Center: Starlight 14 Drive in 1
67. Richland Center: Center Cinema Twins 2
68. Ripon: Marcus Campus Cinema 1
69. River Falls: Falls Theatre 2
70. Rothschild: Marcus Cedar Creek Cinema 10
71. Shawano: Shawano Cinema 5
72. Sheboygan: Marcus Sheboygan Cinema 14
73. Sparta: Sparta Cinema 6
74. Spooner: Palace Theater 2
75. Stanley: Stanley Theater 1
76. Stevens Point: Rogers Cinema Stevens Point 7
77. Sturtevant: Marcus Renaissance Cinema 13
78. Sun Prairie: Marcus Palace Cinema 14
79. Watertown: Towne Cinema 3
80. Waukesha: Marcus Majestic Cinema of Brookfield 16
81. Waupaca: Rogers Cinema Waupaca 4
82. Wauwatosa: Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse 1
83. West Bend: West Bend Cinema 10
84. Whitewater: Whitewater Cinemas 4
85. Wisconsin Dells: Big Sky Drive in 2
86. Wisconsin Rapids: Rogers Cinema Wisconsin Rapids 7
87. Woodruff: Lakeland Cinema 6

Knowing that open captions are growing in popularity with younger generations, we also check college and university theaters. To our surprise, the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Madison, Wisconsin has literally every screening open captioned. These are older movies, but it is still an option for people in the Madison area who want or need captions.

https://union.wisc.edu/visit/union-south/the-marquee

We will put this one on our list with a special note that it is generally older films.

We are watching pre-sales for Spider-Man and noticed something odd. Some theaters are putting the open caption screenings in bigger auditoriums than non-captioned screenings. That doesn't make sense to us because open caption screenings usually sell less than non-captioned screenings. Therefore, shouldn't a theater want to put the open caption screening in a smaller auditorium when doing their programming, to maximize their revenue from the bigger auditoriums? For example, Regal Dulles Town Center in Virginia has an open caption screening on Sunday, August 2 at 6:00 pm in a 95-seat auditorium (Auditorium #2) and the non-captioned screening on Sunday, August 2 at 6:30 pm in a 77-seat auditorium (Auditorium #10). The non-captioned screening in the smaller auditorium is already pre-selling seats while the bigger auditorium open caption screening has pre-sold no seats yet. Help it make sense? Virginia does have a new open caption law, but the law says nothing about auditorium size.

Don't know if it is the loudness or how hot the movie is, but in any regard, open caption screenings of "The Odyssey" are selling quite well. Generally selling less than non-OC screenings but still selling. We've seen this before - when movies are truly hot, people will buy the open caption seats just to be able to see the movie.

One screenshot is the Alamo Drafthouse Loudoun in Ashburn, VA; the open caption screening is tomorrow morning at 11:30 am. Time of this screenshot: 8:00 pm the night before. Another screenshot is the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester in Winchester, VA; the open caption screening isn't even until Tuesday the 21st.