Google used AI to enhance The Wizard of Oz for the Las Vegas Sphere’s giant screen

Google's cloud and research divisions have collaborated with Sphere Entertainment and creative studio Magnopus to comprehensively overhaul the classic 1939 motion picture The Wizard of Oz for projection on the massive, ultra-high-resolution screen inside the Las Vegas Sphere.

To fit the venue's giant 16,000-pixel semi-spherical display, developers utilized a suite of advanced generative artificial intelligence systems, including Gemini, Veo 2, and Imagen 3. Rather than relying on basic, automated upscaling techniques, the technical team utilized these models to intelligently expand existing camera frames, reconstruct wider physical backgrounds, and digitally introduce characters who were present in the scenes but sat outside the original theatrical aspect ratio. This process allows audiences to see multiple actors simultaneously rather than cutting back and forth between isolated close-ups.\n\nTo train these machine learning models accurately, the engineering team analyzed extensive archival assets from the Warner Bros. vaults, including shooting scripts, design illustrations, set blueprints, and behind-the-scenes production photos. This supplementary data allowed the artificial intelligence to faithfully learn the precise lighting, physical spaces, camera focal lengths, and character movement styles characteristic of the original era. Executives involved in the project revealed that artificial intelligence contributed to modifying or generating over ninety percent of the cinematic footage. The completed immersive experience is scheduled to debut at the entertainment venue in late August 2025, where it is expected to combine the expanded digital visuals with physical sensory effects such as temperature shifts, wind, and custom scents.