The Las Vegas Sphere is set to offer a groundbreaking reimagining of the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz through the use of generative AI and advanced computing. Announced last week in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, Google Cloud, and creative tech company Magnopus, this innovative project aims to create an immersive, multisensory experience for audiences, capturing the “visionary spirit” of the original film.
Slated to open on August 28, the new version of The Wizard of Oz will leverage Google Cloud’s AI technology to enhance and “reimagine” the classic film. Google’s cloud infrastructure will also support the massive data processing needed for the project. This marks the beginning of a larger AI partnership between Sphere Entertainment and Google Cloud.
The original 1939 Warner Bros. film was shot using a state-of-the-art three-strip Technicolor camera. In contrast, the new digital version will be displayed on the Sphere’s 160,000-square-foot wraparound LED screen, offering an impressive 16K resolution. Google Cloud’s Gemini models, including Veo 2 and Imagen 3, will boost the film’s resolution, expand backgrounds, and digitally recreate characters who were previously never seen together. To date, approximately 1.2 petabytes of data have been processed for the project.
The Sphere is collaborating with Los Angeles-based Magnopus, a studio founded by VFX Oscar winners Ben Grossman and Alex Henning, known for their work on Hugo.
“The power of generative AI, combined with Google’s infrastructure, is enabling us to create something truly extraordinary,” said Jim Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment. “Google was the only company capable of helping us push boundaries and meet the challenges of projecting this on the world’s highest resolution LED screen.”
Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, added, “Our partnership on The Wizard of Oz at Sphere is a prime example of using generative AI to deliver new experiences for audiences and open up exciting opportunities for filmmakers. We’re honored to contribute to bringing this American classic to a whole new generation.”
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