Google AI Enhancement Powers Immersive ‘Wizard of Oz’ at Las Vegas Sphere

The legendary 1939 film The Wizard of Oz is being reimagined with revolutionary Google AI Enhancement technology for an immersive entertainment debut at the Las Vegas Sphere on August 28, 2025. This unique collaboration between Google, Sphere Entertainment, Warner Bros., and Magnopus uses artificial intelligence to deliver a breathtaking 16K, multi-sensory experience that envelops audiences within the timeless story.

Massive Data & AI Enhancement Collaboration

The ambitious project processed over 1.2 petabytes of data and involved nearly 2,000 specialists. Sphere Entertainment’s CEO Jim Dolan describes it as “an immersive sensory experience,” where viewers feel as though they are inside the iconic film. Google’s cutting-edge AI models including Gemini, Veo 2, and Imagen 3 were key in upscaling the original 35mm footage to fill the Sphere’s gigantic 160,000-square-foot LED dome.

AI Enhancement Faces Technical Challenges

Adapting the original film’s 4:3 aspect ratio to the Sphere’s curved, wraparound screen required creative AI Enhancement solutions. Google developed “outpainting” techniques to extend scenes beyond their original frames and engineered “performance generation” to simulate realistic character movements for moments not originally filmed. Dr. Steven Hickson from Google DeepMind shared how the team fed AI with scripts, illustrations, and archival assets from Warner Bros. to enhance accuracy while expanding the visual canvas.

Preserving Classic Integrity with AI Enhancement

Despite AI enhancing over 90% of the visuals, producer Jane Rosenthal was adamant that no new dialogue or music would be added. The classic score was entirely re-recorded by an 80-piece orchestra at the original scoring stage to maintain the film’s essence. The experience also features 4D effects—wind, fog, scents, and haptic feedback—with over 167,000 speakers surrounding 17,600 seats at the venue.

Audience Anticipation and Future of AI Enhancement Cinema

Promotion of the event includes a dramatic 50-foot installation showing the Wicked Witch of the East’s legs and iconic ruby slippers seemingly crashing into the Sphere. Tickets began at $104 on June 10, Judy Garland’s 103rd birthday. Dolan calls the $80 million project “a leap of faith” illustrating just how AI Enhancement could redefine the future of immersive cinema.