Wizard Of Oz Sphere Show Hits $290M In Ticket Sales, New Enhanced Version Planned

The immersive Vegas production will get a "version 2.0" with new scenes and 4D effects later this year, says Sphere Entertainment CEO James Dolan.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A reconceived and trimmed-down version of The Wizard of Oz at Sphere in Las Vegas has sold 2.2 million tickets and brought in $290 million in revenue since opening last August. Sphere Entertainment CEO James Dolan said the AI-enabled production is "an important blueprint" for the company's long-term vision, and an "enhanced" version with "new scenes and 4D effects" is planned for later this year.

Why it matters

The success of the Wizard of Oz show at Sphere demonstrates the potential for immersive, technology-driven entertainment experiences to draw large audiences and generate significant revenue. As Sphere looks to expand to other locations and develop new IP-based productions, this model could serve as a template for the future of live entertainment.

The details

The current Wizard of Oz show at Sphere is nearly 30 minutes shorter than the 1939 original, allowing for multiple daily showtimes and alternating with live musical acts. It features highly interactive elements like drone-controlled monkeys, tornado-simulating wind machines, and bonus experiences in the lobby. Controversially, the show used AI to refocus or restore characters cut from the original film, and even integrated fleeting images of Sphere CEO James Dolan and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

  • The Wizard of Oz show at Sphere in Las Vegas opened in August 2025.
  • Sphere Entertainment reported the show's $290 million in ticket sales during a quarterly earnings call on February 12, 2026.

The players

James Dolan

CEO of Sphere Entertainment, the company behind the Wizard of Oz production at Sphere in Las Vegas.

David Zaslav

CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company that owns the rights to The Wizard of Oz.

Jane Rosenthal

One of the producers behind the Wizard of Oz show at Sphere.

E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin

The Oscar-winning directors of the extreme sports documentary "From The Edge", which is also being developed for Sphere.

Alenka Artnik, Markus Eder, Alex Honnold, Katie Hansen Lajeunesse, and Kai Lenny

The extreme sports athletes featured in the "From The Edge" documentary.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm not even sure, to be honest, whether we need Wizard of Oz 2.0 with the demand that we're seeing' for the current one.”

— James Dolan, CEO, Sphere Entertainment (Deadline)

“There's some great products out there, that we would like to develop, while we develop some of our own ideas.”

— James Dolan, CEO, Sphere Entertainment (Deadline)

What’s next

Sphere Entertainment plans to open a new location in Abu Dhabi and a smaller venue on the coast of Maryland near Washington, D.C. in the next few years. The company is also in discussions with other IP holders about bringing their projects to the Sphere venues.

The takeaway

The success of the Wizard of Oz show at Sphere demonstrates the potential for immersive, technology-driven entertainment experiences to captivate audiences and generate significant revenue. As Sphere expands to new locations, this model could serve as a blueprint for the future of live entertainment.