Following months of hype, the Sphere unveiled its revitalized presentation of “The Wizard of Oz,” reimagining the 1939 classic in a new immersive, 4D format. Did opening night live up to expectations?
A few things hit you when watching the movie in 2025. Dorothy commits manslaughter (twice), the Scarecrow’s observation that “some people without brains do an awful lot of talking” resonates a little too much now, and today’s audience is way more invested in the safety of Toto. Some of the loudest applause breaks come when the little dog escapes danger.
But ignore those plot points. The Sphere’s main objective is expanding the Oz universe beyond the square-shaped television screens that welcomed the movie as an annual broadcast event for so many decades.
In that regard, the new “Wizard of Oz” mostly succeeds. The mysterious woods, flower-filled Munchkinland, and lush landscapes that surround the yellow brick road stretch out with the help of A.I. to fill out every inch of the Sphere’s 160,000-square-foot screen. The floating head of the “great and powerful Oz” is a dominating presence and nearly steals the show. When the action slows down, it’s smooth and crystal clear. When it’s hectic, the high-def imagery drags and blurs a touch.
Old or new, the Wizard of Oz runs on heart, whether it’s a simple relatable theme (“there’s no place like home”) or the earnest performance of the film’s lead. “The thing that struck me most was Judy Garland,” Sphere CEO James Dolan said before the premiere, noting that none of the star’s charisma is lost in translation.
Follow the yellow brick road. (Rob Kachelriess/City Cast Las Vegas)
About 27 minutes was trimmed from the original running time, but nothing feels missing.Things just move along at a brisker pace.
Without giving too much away, the Sphere eagerly mixes digital effects with practical ones, incorporating smoke, wind, fire, vibrations, and drones. The tornado scene, with a chill in the air and a powerful gust of leaves, is destined to be the moment everyone talks about the most.
“ Pretty much anybody can blow wind on an audience. That's easy,” Dolan joked. “We try to make (the audience) feel like they're really in a tornado.”
“Then dial it back a little bit,” producer Ben Grossman clarified. “Because people get a little nervous about being in a tornado.”
The music is a big part of what makes “The Wizard of Oz” special. However, the original instrumental score was recorded in mono with equipment that was primitive by today’s standards. So a full orchestra was enlisted to re-record the music in the style of the period, allowing every note to be felt throughout the venue.
Thanks to the Sphere’s HOLOPLOT 3D beamforming technology, every whisper, scream, or knock on the door is right where it should be. When the Wicked Witch of the West (brought to life in a timeless performance by Margaret Hamilton) flies through the clouds, everyone instinctively looks up, since her voice is bellowing above the audience.
Oz, the great and powerful. (Rob Kachelriess/City Cast Las Vegas)
There will be endless debates on the Sphere’s reliance on artificial intelligence to adapt the movie to its new format, but the production team says it stayed true to the original vision, studying plans, reports, and notes from the 1939 filming — using new technology to achieve what those professionals couldn’t.
It’s worth pointing out that between creative artists and engineers, the Sphere hired more real humans for this project than most Hollywood productions over the past two years combined.
“ We basically hired every effects house within a 50-mile range of Burbank … and that still wasn't enough,” according to Dolan.
The CEO admits the budget roughly doubled to nearly $100 million — nearly four times what it cost to film the original movie when adjusted for inflation. The investment is beginning to pay off. Dolan confirmed that 200,000 “Wizard of Oz” tickets have already been sold, most priced above $100.
As a bonus, the lobby atrium has been revamped with the lighting, much like the movie itself, split between sepia (Kansas) and green (Emerald City) color tones with themed food and drinks, merch for sale, and photo ops, including an interactive hologram wizard with its own post-movie light and sound show.
Is the experience worth the ticket price? I say, go for it. It’s a mix of nostalgia, sentimentality, and technology that you won’t find anywhere else. So tell that cushion in your bank account “I’ll miss you most of all” and click your heels three times. The journey awaits.
