AI-enhanced, immersive ‘Wizard of Oz’ debuts in Las Vegas
Drone-powered monkeys, swirling winds, and the touch of artificial intelligence have brought a all-new experience to “The Wizard of Oz” on Thursday during the premiere of an immersive version of the Hollywood classic in Las Vegas.
A yellow-brick carpet was exclusively designed that portray the yellow brick road in the film. The road led to the entrance of the sphere, a dome-shaped high-tech entertainment point that shows the update of the 1939 movie musical.
The premiere was attended by Lorna Luft, daughter of Judy Garland, who played Dorothy in the movie.
“We are finally off to see the wizard!” James Dolan, CEO of Sphere Entertainment, told the crowd. “What you’re about to see tonight is our most powerful example yet of experiential storytelling in this new media.”
However, many cinema lovers don’t like the idea of tinkering with a classic film through such a high-tech premiere. At the same time, workers in Hollywood have also shown their concern about artificial intelligence replacing human work.
Dolan said that the audience would be left with their jaws dropped by the new “Wizard Oz” experience. “For the first time, you’re going to feel like you’re part of the story,” he said.
According to the sources, reworking with the firm involved the contribution of more than 2000 people over the span of 2 years. The team included creative staff from Sphere, researchers from Google’s DeepMind, and executives from Warner Bros Discovery. The movie has been updated using AI to make it watchable on the Sphere’s giant and wraparound screen.
Artificial intelligence has been used to restore the tiny celluloid frames into modern times’ high definition format, along with filling in the detailing like freckles on Dorothy’s face. At the same time, Sphere also made many changes, like installing fans that kicked up wind along with blowing leaf-shaped confetti when the tornado threw Dorothy’s farmhouse into the sky.
Sixteen-foot helium-filled monkeys flew above the head as Wicked Witch plotted Dorothy’s demise.
