LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--myLINGO, developer of technologies to enhance the movie theatre experience for multi-cultural families, announced today that myLINGO users will be able to experience first-run Disney, Paramount and Sony films in Spanish. Using myLINGO, moviegoers can download studio-recorded Spanish audio tracks that seamlessly sync to the English language film on screen and listen in real-time using their own headphones.
In addition to collaborating with major studios, myLINGO recently secured strategic partnerships with Regal Entertainment Group and Cinemark Theaters, which represent two of the top three largest exhibitors in the U.S.
With myLINGO, Spanish-speaking moviegoers will be able to enjoy newly-released movies this holiday season including Moana, Office Christmas Party, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Passengers.
myLINGO’s app uses the microphone on a viewer’s smartphone (currently available for iOS) to “listen” to a film’s audio soundtrack once the movie has begun. The app, through a proprietary algorithm, delivers alternate language audio through the user’s headphones in perfect sync with the film. myLINGO audio tracks are studio-sanctioned Spanish versions of the film originally developed for international release. Unlike clunky third-party translation services, myLINGO’s tracks ensure fidelity to the movie creator’s intended vision. myLINGO audio files only play if the app can hear the movie, and once the movie is over, the file self-deletes from the user’s phone. The app is dimly lit and transitions to a completely black screen once properly synced to avoid interfering with others’ enjoyment of the film.
“Regal Entertainment Group prides itself on delivering a premium movie-going experience to all of our guests," said Greg Dunn, President and Chief Operating Officer at Regal Entertainment Group. “Partnering with myLINGO allows us to further invest in our audiences by offering this unique amenity to Spanish-speaking guests.”
“Hispanic audiences spent approximately $2.5 billion at the box office in 2015, proving a big incentive for cinemas to cater to this market segment,” said Olenka Polak, co-founder and CEO of myLINGO. “Even so, our research shows that nearly half of all Spanish-dominant Americans avoid going to the movies because films aren’t shown in Spanish. myLINGO addresses that challenge as a partner to both studios and exhibitors, with an innovative way to drive new customers and revenue,” she added.
About myLINGO
myLINGO is an app for Apple mobile devices that allows users to play the Spanish language through earbuds or headphones, in perfect synchronization with the film they are watching in the theater. The app was founded in 2012 by Adam Polak and Olenka Polak, two siblings from Greenwich, CT who grew up in a predominantly Polish speaking household – because their parents were non-native English speakers, the family was not able to enjoy going to the movies together. Recognizing a need in the market due to potential audiences with increasingly diverse language preferences, the Polaks searched for a way to use technology to address this problem. Olenka Polak is a 2015 recipient of the prestigious Thiel Fellowship grant for young entrepreneurs. The company closed a Series A funding round in 2015 in which Dolby Laboratories participated.
For more information about myLINGO, visit www.myLINGOapp.com and follow myLINGO on Twitter and Facebook.
About Regal Entertainment Group
Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE:RGC) operates one of the largest and most geographically diverse theatre circuits in the United States, consisting of 7,310 screens in 565 theatres in 42 states along with Guam, Saipan, American Samoa and the District of Columbia as of September 30, 2016. The Company operates theatres in 46 of the top 50 U.S. designated market areas. We believe that the size, reach and quality of the Company’s theatre circuit not only provide its patrons with a convenient and enjoyable movie-going experience, but is also an exceptional platform to realize economies of scale in theatre operations.
Additional information is available on the Company's website at www.REGmovies.com.
