The Sphere in Las Vegas has stumbled across a gold mine. Its reimagined version of the iconic Wizard of Oz movie rolled out August 28 and has sold almost $200m worth of tickets since then:
Despite hosting residencies of world-renowned music acts like U2, Dead & Company, and the Eagles, the movie has far outstripped their success. Its total revenue was $333m in 2024 and the success of the remake means it will smash past that mark in 2025.
$100m was invested in licensing the movie and adapting it from the original
The 1.5 million tickets sold to date outweigh the success of all these shows. Almost $100m was invested in licensing the movie and adapting it from the original.
The Wizard of Oz remake is an immersive 4D experience that uses visual effects and AI to enhance the original film. Between two and three viewings take place daily at the venue. Between 4,000 and 5,000 people are attending the Nevada venue each day to see the movie at an average ticket price of approximately $200.
Wolfe Research investment analysts remarked in September that the show could make the Sphere the world’s “most profitable venue.” There have been discussions about opening up Sphere-like locations in Dubai and London.
