As Deadline reports, two-year-old streaming service Topic has made a deal with tech firm Deepdub to make its catalog of foreign-language series and TV shows available in English.
At the moment, their effort includes dozens of titles, noted shows like Arctic Circle, Pagan Peak, The Bridge, and The Killing, among others.
As Deadline notes, streaming continues to expand overall, appetites are growing for global content, but dubbing and subtitling can both be a challenge in terms of cost and execution.
Topic, which is owned by First Look Entertainment, has focused on showcasing foreign-language titles to its North American subscribers. It sees adding an English-language option as a way of broadening the service’s appeal.
Deepdub itself is based in Israel and according to Deadline, it uses artificial intelligence to create what it deems fully “localized” entertainment, playable in a viewer’s native language depending on where programming is streaming. At the same time, their technology preserves other sounds, including the actors’ original voices.
According to one of Topic’s executives, the initiative will expand the potential viewership of the company’s Scandinavian series, among them The Killing, Follow the Money, and State of Happiness.
Deepdub co-founder and CEO Ofir Krakowski called the Topic partnership a “big step” toward the company’s ultimate goal. “We believe that all people, no matter their language or geography, should have access to incredible watching experiences at their fingertips,” he said.
