LAS VEGAS, Aug 21 – One of Hollywood’s most iconic films is stepping into the future in a way that its original creators could have never imagined. On August 28, the Las Vegas Sphere will debut The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, a groundbreaking reimagining of the 1939 classic powered by artificial intelligence and immersive technology.
Audiences will no longer just watch Dorothy’s farmhouse swept into the tornado—they will feel it. Inside the Sphere’s 160,000-square-foot LED wall, spanning three football fields and rising 22 stories high, viewers will find themselves inside the storm. Massive 750-horsepower fans whip up wind, debris swirls across the arena, and every detail of L. Frank Baum’s magical world is magnified to life. Tickets for this sensory spectacle start at $104 per seat, promising a cinematic experience unlike any before.
This project represents more than just a nostalgic revival. It stands as one of the largest collaborations between a major studio, Warner Bros Discovery, and Google’s AI division, alongside a workforce of more than 2,000 contributors including visual effects artists, researchers, musicians, and technicians. Many in the entertainment industry are calling it a landmark in the fusion of AI and human creativity, potentially signaling a turning point in Hollywood’s embrace of artificial intelligence.
Reimagining a Classic Through AI
Reimagining The Wizard of Oz for a venue as technologically advanced as the Sphere was no small feat. The project took two years of intense development, beginning with studio executives, creative teams, and engineers deciding how to enhance the beloved film without stripping away its legacy.
The creative approach involved combing through archival blueprints, still photography, and other historical records from the original film. Using these references, AI models enhanced the visuals to deliver a tenfold improvement in resolution, upgrading 1939’s celluloid frames into ultra-high-definition. Subtle details never noticed before—such as the freckles on Judy Garland’s face as Dorothy or the rough burlap texture of the Scarecrow’s costume—now appear with remarkable clarity.
The production team had to carefully balance staying true to the original while adapting the film to fit the Sphere’s enormous 16K display. Traditional CGI was quickly dismissed since it risked creating a photorealistic animated version rather than preserving the actual performances. Instead, AI tools carefully restored, extended, and enhanced scenes without altering the actors’ essence. For example, when the Tin Man strikes a castle door with his axe to free Dorothy, AI filled in the missing parts of the scene, seamlessly expanding the camera frame for the audience’s panoramic view.
In addition to visuals, the musical score received a dramatic upgrade. The soundtrack was newly performed by a full orchestra on the historic MGM soundstage, then powered through the Sphere’s 167,000 speakers for an immersive effect. While the orchestral sound is fresh, the original vocal performances remain untouched, ensuring Garland’s legendary voice continues to carry the story.
The project was carefully managed under guidelines that balanced innovation with respect for intellectual property. Warner Bros granted access to train AI models on character performances, but the data remains proprietary to the studio, quarantined from public AI systems. This safeguarded both the artistic integrity of the film and the actors’ legacies, creating a “protected AI zone” where experiments could be conducted without overstepping boundaries.
Innovation Meets Controversy
While many see the Sphere’s Wizard of Oz as a creative breakthrough, the project has not escaped criticism. Purists argue that altering such a sacred piece of cinema risks diminishing its artistic value. Some critics have labeled the endeavor unnecessary meddling with history. However, the creators insist that every decision was made with the film’s original spirit in mind.
According to Ben Grossmann, who led the visual effects for the project, the goal was never to reinvent but to realize the filmmakers’ intentions in ways technology of 1939 could not achieve. For instance, the Wizard’s throne room scene now towers with a 200-foot holographic green head that looms over the audience, intensifying the awe Dorothy and her friends must have felt. Flying monkeys, meanwhile, are brought to life as 16-foot helium-filled drones swooping overhead, adding a live-action element to the immersive fantasy.
Sphere executives deliberately chose The Wizard of Oz because it was both a cultural touchstone and a technical marvel of its time. Just as the film’s transition from sepia to Technicolor stunned audiences decades ago, the AI-driven Sphere experience aims to recapture that sense of wonder for today’s generation.
Jane Rosenthal, a long-time film producer and collaborator on the project, explained that the vision was never just about digital remastering. Instead, it was about blending cinema, live performance, and virtual reality into a single experience that bridges past and future.
Despite detractors, industry insiders believe the Sphere’s Wizard of Oz could spark a new wave of AI-assisted projects in Hollywood. Some see it as a glimpse into how studios may breathe new life into classic intellectual property, offering audiences experiences that go beyond passive viewing.