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It’s a Thursday night in Las Vegas and I have flown over and slipped below the surface of an endless, 360-degree poppy field. A floral scent fills the air as blooming pollen blows around me. This is not an opium-fueled fever dream (though this being Vegas, it’s an interesting future concept for somebody out there, I’m sure)—it’s a trippy, AI-populated flower field that fills nearly the entire 160,000 square foot, 16K-resolution LED screen that wraps around you in Sphere during the new production of The Wizard of Oz. (And yes, I was almost relieved when Glinda, the Good Witch showed up with some snow to neutralize it and Dorothy and friends and I could get on our way to the Emerald City.)
The Wizard of Oz at Sphere is surpassing every expectation possible
Sphere’s reimagined Wizard of Oz opened on August 28, launching a new way to immerse an audience in the 1939 film classic. As in my narrow escape from the poisoned poppy field, audiences are launched into the movie via that ultra-high-def screen and haptic seating, including an array of 4D surprises that float through the air around you.
The best way to enjoy this movie is to accept it for what it is: part movie, part thrill ride, using what the Library of Congress considers to be the most-watched film in cinema history as your vehicle.
You begin your journey under the sepia skies of Dorothy’s Kansas—except AI has created an entire field of clouds drifting over your head. The soundtrack was thoroughly remastered: the orchestral score was re-recorded on the same scoring stage as the original using more than 80 musicians, while the original cast’s vocals were preserved and enhanced. When Dorothy sings “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” it’s crystal-clear perfection through Sphere’s 167,000 speakers.
You feel the stuffy heat that precedes a Kansas tornado, and when the funnel cloud rolls into view, wind whips through the auditorium, your seat rumbles in sync with the storm and low, ominous thunder rolls through multi-directional speakers—until you’re swept into the eye of the storm and detritus rains around you (just paper leaves—no one gets hit with a bike or anything). Those who have watched the original 20,000 times, as I have, will be pleased that the movie has retained the weird little old lady who smiles and waves as she knits from her rocking chair inside the funnel cloud.
As Dorothy steps out of her house, whose giant thud you feel as it lands in Oz, you’re immersed in the wild colors of Munchkinland—AI outpainting having digitally extended the munchkin population so they fill the city. In fact, what distinguishes this reboot are the scenes that never appeared in 1939. You’ll feel as though you’re wandering across sprawling prairies and even flying over the Gale farmhouse—vistas invented by AI learning from the original film and era references. VFX artists partnered with AI to fill in missing details like an enveloping forest and panoramic mountain vistas. And the yellow brick road now spirals into places the original could only hint at.
Is it so immersive that you’ll feel you’ve been transported right out of the theater? No. But it’s convincing enough that my skeptical seatmate jumped when the Wicked Witch of the West kaboomed into view in a cloud of red smoke. And half the fun is trying to spot where the original ends and AI begins. Still skeptical? Wait ‘til you get pelted by apples from a perturbed apple tree and the flying monkeys arrive. Next-gen Oz beckons classic film lovers who want to see the movie in a new way, tech fans who love spotting the departures from the original, and audiophiles who will get misty the moment Judy Garland opens her mouth for that first song.
When to see it Shows run daily starting August 28; expect a 75-min. runtime (down from the original 101 minutes). There are standard or VIP options where you can choose "Good Witch" or "Bad Witch" experiences plus the suite packages come with luxuries like expedited entry or private lounges.
Yes, there’s merch You’ll find Oz-themed merch including replica ruby slippers and limited-edition concessions. The Venetian and The Palazzo are running hotel deals that bundle priority seating, hotel stays, food credits, and more.
Pick the seat that’s right for you Around 10,000 of Sphere’s 17,600 seats are haptic-enabled, clustered in the 100s, 200s, and 300s. Grab them if you like to be moved (literally). The Director’s Zone – Section 306, rows 8-13 (seats 6-16) are for purists: they’re aligned with the focal point of the 360-degree screen. And as with concerts, you can book VIP experiences that include access to a lounge with complimentary custom-themed food before the film starts, or book a private suite and purchase catering through the venue.
