Deaf cinemagoers to be among the first to see new Dungeons and Dragons movie with captioned previews

Deaf film fanatics will be able to preview the new Dungeons and Dragons movie with captions in cinemas across the UK later this month, days before the film is officially released.

The advance, subtitled screenings of Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves – available in The Light and Picturehouse cinemas on 29 March – will allow deaf audiences to see the film “earlier than would normally be possible”.

Cinemas have long been criticised for their approach to subtitled screenings, with the National Deaf Children’s Society stating that while “most cinemas” make them available, “there is often only one screening per film, or the films are shown at times that make it hard for families to go to”.

Alongside the 37 cinemas showing the special captioned previews, both The Light and Picturehouse have confirmed accessible screenings will also be available across the opening weekend and the remainder of its run in cinemas.

Front of house staff from both chains will also be offered basic training in British Sign Language from a qualified tutor at the charity Chloe and Sophie’s Special Ears Fund (CSSEF) ahead of the release.

Karen Jackson from CSSEF said: “It’s 2023, we need to wake up and realise that with over 11 million deaf people in the UK, cinema just hasn’t been accessible.

“Change needs to happen, and [film production and distribution company] eOne have taken a bold step.”

eOne’s Kezia Williams added: “We’re delighted to be partnering with CSSEF, Picturehouse and The Light to give deaf cinemagoers the chance to be some of the very first audiences in the UK to see Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves.

“The film celebrates how it’s only a diverse group of adventures that can overcome the many challenges thrown at them. In the same spirit, we’re excited to be playing our part in making the movie’s release in cinemas as welcoming and inclusive as possible.”

Dungeons and Dragons isn’t the first film to make screenings available to deaf audiences before its wider release, with Warner Bros. Pictures collaborating with the British Deaf Association to put on a captioned showing of Creed III at its European premiere last month.

Based on the popular role-playing game of the same name, Dungeons and Dragons features Chris Pine (of Star Trek), Michelle Rodriguez (of the Fast and Furious franchise) and Hugh Grant (of Paddington 2).

It’s described as a “hilarious and action-packed adventure” following “a charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers” who “undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people”.

Tickets for the captioned previews and all other screenings will go on sale on Monday, with Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves having its nationwide opening on 31 March.

Images: eOne.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.