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Las Vegas is about to get a lot more magical thanks to AI. This summer, “The Wizard of Oz” will return to the screen, but not just any screen. The iconic 1939 film is being transformed into a fully immersive experience at the Sphere, the massive, high-tech entertainment venue that has already wowed audiences with its jaw-dropping visuals.
But here’s the twist: This isn’t just a simple remaster. Google, Warner Bros., and a team of AI experts have spent months using AI to expand, enhance, and reimagine the beloved classic for the Sphere’s 160,000-square-foot, 16K-resolution screen.
Why AI? Because CGI just wasn’t enough
The original “Wizard of Oz” was shot on 35mm film, which is modest by today’s standards, and blowing it up to fit the Sphere’s gigantic display would normally make it look blurry or pixelated. But with AI, the team didn’t just stretch the image — they rebuilt it.
Using Google’s advanced AI models including Imagen, Veo, and Gemini, they enhanced every frame, sharpening details like Dorothy’s freckles and Toto’s fur. They used AI to reconstruct scenes, bringing previously off-screen characters into view, such as including Uncle Henry in scenes where he was originally out of frame.
Google engineers thought it was impossible
At first, even Google’s engineers weren’t sure they could pull it off. “The models, they’re wildly innovative,” said Dr. Steven Hickson, a Google DeepMind researcher on the “Wizard of Oz” project. “We’d find something we can’t do, we think it’s impossible, and then a month later we’re like, actually, maybe we can do that.”
The biggest challenge was making sure the AI didn’t just guess what the missing parts should look like — it had to stay true to the original. To do this, the team dug through Warner Bros.’ archives, feeding the AI shooting scripts, production illustrations, behind-the-scenes photographs, set plans, and music scores to keep everything accurate.
What to expect when “The Wizard of Oz” + AI opens
Although AI enhanced more than 90% of the film, the team insists they haven’t altered the heart of the story. Starting August 28, audiences at the Sphere will see “The Wizard of Oz” like never before — with AI-enhanced visuals, expanded scenes, and immersive sensory effects like scent, heat, and wind.
“When you have innovation like this, you don’t always know where it’s going to go,” said Jim Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment. “You have to be able to take a leap of faith. What you’re going to see in ‘The Wizard of Oz at Sphere’ is clearly a leap of faith.”