The Wizard of Oz is reimagined at the Sphere, a massive theater in Las Vegas. The classic film is brought to life with a 160,000-square-foot curved LED screen and 4D experience technology that draws audiences into the film’s space. Beyond watching the screen, audiences are immersed in the film by feeling the wind and vibrations.
The project took about two years and involved over 2,000 people. Sphere CEO James Dolan explained, “The goal is to make the audience feel like they were on set in 1939.” To achieve this, “ethical AI” technology was introduced. The AI was designed to scale the original 4:3 aspect ratio to 16K resolution while maintaining the aesthetic of the original.
For example, in a scene where only three people originally appeared, background characters and spaces were newly created, and the video was restored so clearly that even the actors’ eyelashes were visible. The screen expanded the “golden brick road” to maximize the sense of space, and the 16-foot helium balloon monkey was operated by a drone. The film was edited from the original 102 minutes to 75 minutes, while maintaining the main scenes and narrative.
The tornado scene features real wind and paper flying around, and a 750-horsepower fan creates a whirlwind effect around the audience. When Wicked Witch appears on stage, the seats vibrate, and when Glinda appears, the seats vibrate.
