AI-Enhanced The Wizard of Oz at Sphere Las Vegas Gets Reviewed, Might be More Than Fans Bargained For

The Sphere Las Vegas takes spectacle to the next level with its latest attraction, a reimagined Wizard of Oz. This 1939 classic was stretched, enhanced and reshaped for this massive venue. Using AI, visual effects and sensory tricks, they pull you into Dorothy’s journey like never before. However, some say they tampered too much with a beloved film.

Artificial intelligence was key in enhancing The Wizard of Oz for the Sphere’s 16K wraparound screen. Originally shot in 4:3 the film needed serious reworking to fill a screen the size of four football fields. AI comes in with three main techniques: super resolution, outpainting and performance generation. Super resolution sharpens the film’s grainy visuals to match the Sphere’s ultra-high definition. Outpainting expands scenes beyond their original borders – think Dorothy shown waist up now with AI generated legs to complete her figure. Performance generation goes further creating entirely new character moments – like Uncle Henry lingering outside a door before entering based on archival footage and production notes. These tools, backed by Google Cloud and Magnopus, use thousands of researchers, artists and engineers to preserve the film’s spirit while stretching it to fit this new canvas.

Traditional techniques are blended with the tech to extend backgrounds and props, pulling from Warner Bros. archives and original shot lists. Munchkinland’s colors spill across the screen and Kansas’s sepia skies swirl with AI crafted clouds above. The soundtrack gets a similar treatment. While Judy Garland’s vocals are left alone, the orchestral score was re-recorded with over 80 musicians on the same stage as the original, mixed for the Sphere’s 167,000 speakers. This creates a soundscape that envelops you, with Dorothy’s “Over the Rainbow” sounding clearer than ever. Add in 4D effects – wind machines during the tornado, haptic seats rumbling as Dorothy’s house lands, fake snow falling in the poppy field – and it feels like a theme park ride crossed with a movie.

Financially, the show cost $100 million to produce and makes $2 million a day with tickets ranging from $104 to $300. Bloomberg says it could make $500 million by the end of the year and $1 billion before it closes. For families and casual fans, it’s a spectacle. Kids are squealing at the drone flying monkeys zipping across the theater and gasping at the fire effects during the Wizard’s scenes. You feel like you’re in Oz with butterflies and glitter floating and sparkling around Glinda.

But not everyone is clicking their heels. Purists say the changes strip the soul from the show. The runtime has been cut from 102 to 70 minutes, nearly a third of the story has been cut to fit more showtimes. Some scenes feel rushed and the pacing will jar fans who know every beat by heart. AI’s work while ambitious isn’t perfect. Backgrounds blur and characters’ AI generated extensions like Glinda’s warped crown or Dorothy’s soft face can look unnatural in motion.
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