For the time being, subtitled films
can come in three formats:

1) 'Hard captioned' English language films.

Now extinct, but many older films are still available in this format. These can also be screened in any cinema. Subtitles were etched onto the actual film print, but usually only 5 to 10 prints were produced. Cinema chains shared the prints, and 'toured' them around their cinema sites. A subtitled show usually only played for one day, at one time, in each cinema, before being passed onto the next cinema down the line. This is the reason why a film used sometimes to take months to appear 'at a cinema near you'.

Examples: the first two Harry Potter films and all Foreign language films with English subtitles.

2) 35mm-based 'Digitally subtitled' films .

Currently, there are two different digital 'access' systems installed in UK cinemas - the DTS Cinema Subtitling system, installed in around 200 cinemas, and the Dolby Screentalk system, installed in around 100 cinemas.

Subtitle 'files' are supplied to a cinema on CD Rom disc, and are projected separately onto the cinema screen, synchronising with the 35mm film reel. Cinemas with this equipment can also provide an audio description service to people with sight loss - a narrator explains what's happening on screen, through personal headphones. It's similar to listening to a cricket match on the radio, but far more exciting!

There are currently more than 300 cinemas in the UK with subtitle and audio description facilities (locations HERE). Most popular films are now available with subtitles and / or audio description on these platforms.

3) 'Digitally subtitled' films on hard disc.

Very soon all major cinemas will have digital projection systems. Digital projection systems have built in subtitle readers, and adaptations can be made to include audio description features too. Subtitle and audio description 'files' are readily available for all popular cinema releases, are usually provided as part of the digital film 'package', and are 'read' by digital projection systems. Some of these cinemas regularly schedule subtitled shows. Cinemas with this equipment can modify the equipment to provide an audio description service to people with sight loss.