diff --git a/example/lib/app/app.dart b/example/lib/app/app.dart
index e0c08b0b2..b4e5c88f3 100644
--- a/example/lib/app/app.dart
+++ b/example/lib/app/app.dart
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ class _ChewieDemoState extends State<ChewieDemo> {
       videoPlayerController: _videoPlayerController1,
       autoPlay: true,
       looping: true,
+      // showSubtitle: true,
       progressIndicatorDelay:
           bufferDelay != null ? Duration(milliseconds: bufferDelay!) : null,
 
diff --git a/lib/src/chewie_player.dart b/lib/src/chewie_player.dart
index f4d4273ae..81373d72d 100644
--- a/lib/src/chewie_player.dart
+++ b/lib/src/chewie_player.dart
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ class ChewieController extends ChangeNotifier {
     this.zoomAndPan = false,
     this.maxScale = 2.5,
     this.subtitle,
+    this.showSubtitle = false,
     this.subtitleBuilder,
     this.customControls,
     this.errorBuilder,
@@ -315,6 +316,7 @@ class ChewieController extends ChangeNotifier {
     bool? zoomAndPan,
     double? maxScale,
     Subtitles? subtitle,
+    bool? showSubtitle,
     Widget Function(BuildContext, dynamic)? subtitleBuilder,
     Widget? customControls,
     Widget Function(BuildContext, String)? errorBuilder,
@@ -363,6 +365,7 @@ class ChewieController extends ChangeNotifier {
       additionalOptions: additionalOptions ?? this.additionalOptions,
       showControls: showControls ?? this.showControls,
       subtitle: subtitle ?? this.subtitle,
+      showSubtitle: showSubtitle ?? this.showSubtitle,
       subtitleBuilder: subtitleBuilder ?? this.subtitleBuilder,
       customControls: customControls ?? this.customControls,
       errorBuilder: errorBuilder ?? this.errorBuilder,
@@ -424,6 +427,13 @@ class ChewieController extends ChangeNotifier {
   /// Add a List of Subtitles here in `Subtitles.subtitle`
   Subtitles? subtitle;
 
+  ///
+  /// Whether to display subtitles.
+  ///
+  /// By default, this is set to `false`, which hides them.
+  ///
+  final bool showSubtitle;
+
   /// The controller for the video you want to play
   final VideoPlayerController videoPlayerController;
 
diff --git a/lib/src/cupertino/cupertino_controls.dart b/lib/src/cupertino/cupertino_controls.dart
index 7e16b38a1..17aba1e08 100644
--- a/lib/src/cupertino/cupertino_controls.dart
+++ b/lib/src/cupertino/cupertino_controls.dart
@@ -115,7 +115,9 @@ class _CupertinoControlsState extends State<CupertinoControls>
                         0.0,
                         notifier.hideStuff ? barHeight * 0.8 : 0.0,
                       ),
-                      child: _buildSubtitles(chewieController.subtitle!),
+                      child: chewieController.showSubtitle
+                          ? _buildSubtitles(chewieController.subtitle!)
+                          : const SizedBox(),
                     ),
                   _buildBottomBar(backgroundColor, iconColor, barHeight),
                 ],
diff --git a/lib/src/material/material_controls.dart b/lib/src/material/material_controls.dart
index 92be36fbe..6caf193d8 100644
--- a/lib/src/material/material_controls.dart
+++ b/lib/src/material/material_controls.dart
@@ -100,8 +100,9 @@ class _MaterialControlsState extends State<MaterialControls>
                         0.0,
                         notifier.hideStuff ? barHeight * 0.8 : 0.0,
                       ),
-                      child:
-                          _buildSubtitles(context, chewieController.subtitle!),
+                      child: chewieController.showSubtitle
+                          ? _buildSubtitles(context, chewieController.subtitle!)
+                          : const SizedBox(),
                     ),
                   _buildBottomBar(context),
                 ],
diff --git a/lib/src/material/material_desktop_controls.dart b/lib/src/material/material_desktop_controls.dart
index 404031653..479a9a58c 100644
--- a/lib/src/material/material_desktop_controls.dart
+++ b/lib/src/material/material_desktop_controls.dart
@@ -100,8 +100,9 @@ class _MaterialDesktopControlsState extends State<MaterialDesktopControls>
                         0.0,
                         notifier.hideStuff ? barHeight * 0.8 : 0.0,
                       ),
-                      child:
-                          _buildSubtitles(context, chewieController.subtitle!),
+                      child: chewieController.showSubtitle
+                          ? _buildSubtitles(context, chewieController.subtitle!)
+                          : Container(),
                     ),
                   _buildBottomBar(context),
                 ],