Sphere’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ Re-Launch Was Considered one of 2025’s Highest Grossing Movies—for One Large Cause

One film, from one venue, cracked the highest 10 highest-grossing movies of 2025. That sounds inconceivable till you notice that the specific venue charges almost 10 times what different theaters cost for that film and has means, far more seats.

The film is 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, and the venue is the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. A new report claims that the highly controversial re-release of the movie in the expansive, immersive venue grossed $260 million in 2025, and it did so in mainly solely 4 months, having opened in late August. That locations it quantity 10 on an inventory of highest-grossing domestic film releases in 2025.

After all, films like The way to Prepare Your Dragon (quantity 9 at $262 million) or The Implausible 4: First Steps (quantity eight at $274 million) cost roughly $15 relying on the place or whenever you see them, whereas tickets for The Wizard of Oz at Sphere typically begin round $100, and the venue is considerably larger than most film theaters, seating over 18,000. So it’s not precisely a good comparability, however it’s nonetheless sort of attention-grabbing.

With the news of the grosses, in addition to a brand new Sphere opening up close to Washington D.C., Sphere CEO James Dolan revealed that an Oz 2.0 could be coming later this 12 months, with all new results, and that there are not any plans for the movie to cease enjoying anytime quickly. “What’s the lifespan of Wizard of Oz? It wouldn’t shock me if we have been exhibiting Wizard of Oz 10 years from now,” Dolan mentioned.

When the primary photos and video of this new model of The Wizard of Oz have been launched, the net backlash was fast and cruel. Many complained about how the brand new results and remastering utterly modified the look of the unique movie. Then, once it was revealed that AI was used to assist increase a few of the photos for the expertise, it bought even worse. Nonetheless, it positive looks like that fervor hasn’t executed something to dial again curiosity from Las Vegas vacationers.

I used to be in Las Vegas a number of weeks in the past, and the crowds in and across the Sphere for The Wizard of Oz have been surprisingly massive. I even noticed followers attending exhibits dressed up because the characters from the film. Plus, you’ll be able to’t get discounted seats like different Las Vegas exhibits. It’s nonetheless well-liked and earning money. Some huge cash. Actual Hollywood blockbuster cash. And, if it retains going at this fee, it’s going to affix the likes of Avatar and the Avengers within the billion membership after which some.

As for what films might subsequent make the leap to Sphere, nothing is official. Rumors have run rampant about mega franchises like Star Wars or Harry Potter, however none of that’s official. Dolan did reveal a film known as From the Edge was within the works, made by the staff behind Free Solo and it “chronicles excessive sports activities athletes.” Nevertheless, whereas that movie could be executed later this 12 months, there are not any plans to cease exhibiting The Wizard of Oz anytime quickly. “We plan on mainly working Wizard of Oz till we see the demand begin to fall off,” Dolan mentioned. “That could possibly be so much longer than a 12 months.”

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