‘The Wizard of Oz’ Reimagined.

In the burgeoning landscape of immersive entertainment, the highly anticipated Sphere venue in Las Vegas is set to premiere its inaugural classic film screening of “The Wizard of Oz” on August 28. As detailed in a segment on CBS Sunday Morning, this cinematic event transcends the simple projection of the existing movie onto Sphere’s expansive, 160,000 square foot wraparound LED screen.

Sphere Entertainment CEO James Dolan reveals that a team of 2,000 professionals is meticulously crafting an unprecedented experience. This endeavor encompasses the employment of artificial intelligence (AI) to not only enhance the resolution of the existing film but also extend the footage beyond the original frame captures.

Ben Mankiewicz, presenter for Turner Classic Movies, elucidates that the application of AI technology imbues a once grainy close-up of Dorothy with striking detail. Through a process known as outpainting, additional elements such as the Scarecrow, the Yellow Brick Road, and the mountains of Oz come vividly into focus, seemingly by magic.

In certain instances, expanding the frame entails creating new performances from the original cast members.

Dolan emphasizes that despite these transformative alterations, the guiding principle remains unaltered: “Our goal on this project was not to modify the film in any way, but rather to transport audiences into the film, as if they were present during its initial studio recording.”