The biggest blockbuster of the summer came out 86 years ago. While some people balk at the idea of paying $12 to catch a film that’ll be on streaming platforms a month later, apparently thousands of folks are flocking to the Sphere in Las Vegas and dropping about $200 a ticket to watch The Wizard of Oz, according to a report from Bloomberg. The film is reportedly grossing about $2 million per day from its showtimes on just one (very large) screen.
Citing information from Wolfe Research, Bloomberg says that the new AI-slop-filled The Wizard of Oz could gross more than $500 million by the end of the year, and as much as $1 billion before the run concludes. The version of the film showing at the venue has been adapted to fit the 160,000 square foot screen and make use of the Sphere’s unique environment.
Sphere Entertainment, owned by New York billionaire and noted self-appointed blues musician James Dolan, spent $100 million on making the film fit the venue after securing the rights to show it from Warner Bros. That included using AI to upscale the resolution of the film and artificially create extra scenery to make it fit on the venue’s screen, and going full “4D” to have artificial winds blow in the faces of the audience when the tornado hits.
Dolan also reportedly cut the film down to 70 minutes, per a review from the Los Angeles Times, to squeeze in more showtimes, which, oof. Nothing better encapsulates the tech mentality of slashing something that is a true spectacle in order to turn up the flashiness in favor of substance and maximize profits. But hey, people seem to enjoy it.
“The Wizard of Oz” (1939) vs. “The Wizard of Oz at Sphere” (2025) Over 90% of the film has been “touched up” with AI to create this new version of the film. Personally, I find this to be disgraceful. pic.twitter.com/l1KcZHwsC3 — The Oz Archive (Tyler) (@TheOzArchive) July 29, 2025
The Wizard of Oz likely won’t be the last film to get the Sphere treatment, either. Dolan is shopping for other films to throw on the massive screen and is interested in the rights to the Harry Potter and Star Wars films, among others, per Bloomberg. It’ll be interesting to see if Dolan manages to get the same deal on those films as he did with The Wizard of Oz, as he only had to pay a licensing fee to Warner Bros. to show it and will pocket the profits from each showing. Now that the studios know what films make when shown in the Sphere, they might be interested in a cut.
While Dolan tries to lock down more rights, the Sphere already has a few other screenings joining the mix. It has been showing Postcard From Earth, a documentary by Darren Aronofsky, and an extreme sports documentary called From the Edge will be joining the marquee next year. If Dolan’s Knicks keep paying the luxury tax, you can thank the Sphere.