In a landmark collaboration, Google and Sphere Entertainment Co. have joined forces to revolutionize cinematic storytelling with The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, an immersive experience set to debut in Las Vegas on August 28, 2025. This next-generation production combines generative AI, visual effects, and immersive audio-visual engineering to transform a classic piece of film history into a 21st-century spectacle. Nearly nine decades after the original Wizard of Oz introduced audiences to Technicolor, this reimagined version leverages Google’s cutting-edge AI models—Gemini, Veo 2, and Imagen 3—along with Sphere’s massive 16K resolution display, to bring the story to life in ways never before possible.
AI-Powered Innovation Behind the Curtain
The project represents a fusion of technical mastery and creative vision, requiring collaboration among thousands of developers, VFX artists, coders, and engineers. Over 1.2 petabytes of data have been processed so far—demonstrating the vast scale of this production and the essential role of Google Cloud’s AI-optimized infrastructure.
A Groundbreaking Technical Collaboration
- Google Cloud & DeepMind provide advanced AI models and infrastructure
- Sphere Studios & Magnopus lead the creative and engineering efforts
- Custom Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) and Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) power massive compute workloads
“We needed a partner who could push boundaries… and Google was the only company equipped to meet the challenge,” said Jim Dolan, Executive Chairman & CEO, Sphere Entertainment.
Gen AI Techniques Reimagining Oz
Sphere’s 160,000-square-foot interior display—the highest-resolution LED screen in the world—requires revolutionary new workflows. Google’s generative AI is core to these breakthroughs:
1. Super Resolution with Veo
Google’s Veo model reconstructs and enhances the original footage to a crisp 16K resolution—a necessity for Sphere’s ultra-high-def display. Missing pixels are filled intelligently, restoring details like vintage costumes, scenery, and iconic character expressions.
2. Outpainting for Immersion
AI-powered outpainting extends scenes beyond their original frames, creating immersive, panoramic environments. Characters appear more naturally situated in extended settings that retain the original film’s tone and style.
3. Performance Generation
New storytelling approaches enable multiple characters to remain onscreen continuously—enhancing emotional resonance and immersion. This is achieved by combining Gemini’s instruction-following abilities with Veo’s generative capabilities.
4. Context Window Optimization
Using Gemini and Veo’s extended context windows, the AI maintains narrative and visual consistency across longer sequences—critical for immersive formats that demand smooth transitions and detailed continuity.
A New Milestone in Entertainment Technology
“This is a great example of pushing generative AI to deliver new experiences for audiences,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud.
The partnership showcases how generative AI can empower filmmakers and studios, offering new creative and commercial opportunities. From extending legacy content to creating original, immersive experiences, the tools used for The Wizard of Oz at Sphere could set the template for the future of entertainment.
A Technicolor Moment for the AI Era
As The Wizard of Oz at Sphere prepares for its grand opening in Las Vegas, the project is being hailed as a category-defining moment in AI-assisted storytelling. Where the original 1939 film made history with Technicolor, this 2025 reinvention uses AI as its creative catalyst—bringing timeless magic to a new generation in a format only Sphere can deliver.
This partnership not only redefines what audiences can expect from live cinema but also signals a future where generative AI and immersive environments converge to create transformative entertainment experiences.
