The Sphere, 'The Wizard of Oz' and the power of nostalgia to lure moviegoers

Throughout 2025, various theaters and studios have leaned into viewer nostalgia nostalgia and in-person experiences.

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).