Apples dropping from the sky. Leaves blowing through the air. Simulated wind gusts.
Sitting at the Sphere in Las Vegas earlier this year to see the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz,” Michelle Madrigal felt like she had been transported to Oz.
“The smells, the colors … it was just so beautiful to see in person,” said Madrigal, a California-based content creator who drove three hours to catch the immersive movie experience.
But the best part? Madrigal said she got to see “a classic movie in a new way” — on a 160,000 sq. ft. spherical screen. Billed as a “fully immersive experience that uses all of Sphere’s advanced technologies,” the Sphere’s goal in reimagining “The Wizard of Oz” was to “showcase the experiential storytelling capabilities of this new medium,” it said in a news release.
Madrigal was one among the massive crowds that dished money — ranging from $100 to $400 per ticket — to see the film at the Sphere as part of an experience that opened in August. By December, Sphere Entertainment Co. said it had generated nearly $200 million in ticket sales for “The Wizard of Oz,” making it a hit. (The Sphere declined to comment for this article).
The Sphere’s success comes as Hollywood is in a bind. Viewers’ habits have been changing over the past decade, giving way to streaming giant Netflix’s $82.7 billion deal to purchase Warner Bros., a move many in the industry fear will chill theatrical audience attendance, as people are increasingly more comfortable with waiting to watch from home.
Not all venues have the technical capacities of the Sphere. But throughout 2025, various theaters and studios have also leaned into viewer nostalgia and in-person experiences.
Offering unique experiences “further differentiates the theater experience from the at-home experience,” ComScore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian said.
He compared “the communal, tactile, emotional experience” that the theater can offer to attending concerts or sporting events live.
For example, back in spring, to help them open “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” Warner Bros. sent logging trucks spattered with fake blood out onto highways, in a reference to one of the horror franchise’s infamous kill scenes. Lionsgate asked the audience of its influencer screening of Stephen King adaptation “The Long Walk” to walk on treadmills while watching the film. And for the opening of Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Bugonia” this fall, Focus Features held a “bald screening“ for hairless moviegoers, a nod to Emma Stone’s character in the film. (Focus Features is a division of NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News.)
IMAX, which boasts 1,829 IMAX systems operating in 89 countries and territories, has made it an “extremely high priority” to continue to re-release films in the standard IMAX and IMAX 70MM formats, said Head of Global Distribution Heather Morgan.
Those screenings significantly contribute to the roughly 50 million IMAX tickets sold each year, according to Morgan.
“People want to be part of the conversation … they want to be part of something,” said Morgan, who came to IMAX from Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, which has for years mastered programming strategies that resonate with audiences.
Among IMAX’s most popular re-releases this year was Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” which received the theatrical re-release treatment for its 45th anniversary. Screenings across the country were jam-packed with people who were hoping to experience the iconic 1980 horror film in a different way.
“It’s more communal,” said student Scarlett Ortiz, who attended a screening in New York City in December. “It’s about the people around you, not just the movie.”
Back in Las Vegas, the Sphere’s got big plans to continue showing “The Wizard of Oz” through at least April 2026.
Billionaire James Dolan, the executive chairman and chief executive officer of Sphere Entertainment Co., has said he plans to open a Sphere in Abu Dhabi and wants to open smaller versions in other locations.
Dolan licensed the rights to the movie from Warner Bros. Discovery and reportedly spent nearly $100 million to adapt the film. Both he and WBD CEO David Zaslav have minor cameos in the Sphere version, which is roughly 30 minutes shorter than its original.
In an August earnings call with analysts, Dolan said, “Ultimately, we’ll run ‘The Wizard of Oz’ forever. It’s hard for me to imagine a better product than ‘Wizard of Oz.'”
Wolfe Research analyst Peter Supino told The Hollywood Reporter in September that the Sphere may be “the world’s most profitable venue,” adding that its success could lead to more “re-creations of other valuable IP” for the venue.
Saba Hamedy and Rebecca Keegan contributed.
