Wicked 2 is making a step in the right direction for deaf cinema audiences – but there’s still more to do

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When Cynthia Erivo wore the unique, infinity symbol glasses as Elphaba in Wicked, it started a fashion trend among fans of the movie. Now, with the release of the sequel, Wicked: For Good approaching, we could see another unusual sight in theaters: smart caption glasses for moviegoers who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Called WatchWord and created by Built for Good, these devices will be used for screenings at 14 ODEON cinemas across the UK (from a total of over 100 locations) when the film is released in November.

I fundamentally believe in the right to choose, particularly when it helps deaf and hard of hearing moviegoers experience films like everyone else. However, current access feels very uneven – it depends on where you live. For instance, people all over Wales would need to be able to travel to the ODEON cinema in Bridgend to benefit.

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These glasses aren’t new to ODEON cinemas. I actually tested them out last year at the Milton Keynes location during a showing of Wicked Little Letters, but they stopped working as soon as the film began, which unfortunately ruined my movie experience. The technology is also quite bulky, especially if you already wear glasses. I even had to push the lenses against my face to get the projected text to come into focus – definitely not comfortable for a movie that lasts over 100 minutes.

However, the most significant drawback is the attention and looks the glasses attract, despite offering more flexibility in caption customization compared to captions that are ‘burned-in’ to the film. Unlike the privacy of open-captioned showings, where people who require captions can remain discreet, wearing this technology in a cinema inevitably makes you stand out – which is rather ironic, considering one of Wicked’s central themes is about feeling like an ‘outsider’.

It’s also worth noting that the glasses didn’t receive overwhelmingly positive feedback after initial testing in Derby in March 2024 (and the name ‘WatchWord’ is a bit of a play on words!). A survey of those who tried them revealed that 41 percent actually preferred standard open captions, and this was the most common opinion.

However, nearly three-quarters (74%) of people strongly said they’d be happy to wear the glasses again at future screenings. They also reported they would go to the cinema three times more frequently if the glasses were easily accessible.

Ultimately, over 80 percent of respondents strongly agreed they’d prefer to use subtitle glasses rather than miss a movie entirely if an open-captioned screening wasn’t available at a convenient time. (Cinemas continue to schedule captioned screenings during random weekday afternoons, seemingly unaware that deaf individuals have jobs just like everyone else.)

Why not offer both options? We’ve already witnessed successful programs providing deaf movie fans with previews featuring open captions, allowing them to participate in discussions about new releases just like everyone else. Shouldn’t there be more screenings with open captions available, especially at ODEON cinemas where this technology isn’t currently offered? It seems necessary to expand access this way.

If we don’t fix this properly, we’ll only be halfway solving the issue of not enough captioned screenings – and we’ll just end up creating a new problem in the process. Honestly, it feels like we’d be trading one frustration for another, and as a gamer, I want a complete fix, not a patch job. It’s like when a developer releases an update that fixes one bug but introduces three more – super annoying! So, let’s get it right the first time.

Yes, the glasses are a positive development. However, if the industry further supports deaf and hard of hearing individuals by improving access to captions, that would be truly wonderful.

Wicked: For Good will be in theaters starting November 21st. You can find a complete list of participating WatchWord locations for the film’s release here.

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2025-10-01 15:19