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Sphere Wizard of Oz 4D Effects Add Animatronic Winged Monkeys

Animatronic winged creature suspended above a seated audience inside a giant LED dome auditorium, illustrating Sphere Wizard of Oz 4D effects

Sphere Entertainment Co. announced new and expanded 4D effects for The Wizard of Oz at Sphere on 31 August 2026. The effects debut on Friday 25 September 2026. The company said tickets for the production are on sale through the beginning of 2027. The show has run at the Las Vegas venue since August 2025.

The additions are physical. Sphere Entertainment listed animatronic Winged Monkeys, themed scents, “Glinda Glitter,” pyrotechnic fireworks and scented apples.

The production had sold more than three million tickets by mid-June 2026. Ticket sales had passed $400 million by that date, a milestone The VR Collective covered on 2 July.

Inside the new 4D effects at Sphere’s Wizard of Oz

The film plays across a 160,000-square-foot interior LED display that measures 240 feet across, invidis reported. The company’s announcement describes a digital presentation in which apples fall from the sky and Winged Monkeys take flight. Two of the September additions map onto those moments: the scented apples and the animatronic Winged Monkeys.

“The upcoming enhancements to The Wizard of Oz at Sphere take some of the most memorable moments from the experience to the next level to immerse and transport audiences deeper into the world of Oz,” said Jennifer Koester, Sphere president and chief operating officer.

Sphere Studios presents the production in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery, Google and Magnopus.

One title carried 220 performances in a single quarter

The Sphere segment ran 220 performances of The Wizard of Oz at Sphere in the three months to 30 June 2026. The VR Collective reported the count on 12 August. The segment took $226.4 million over those three months, up 29% on the same quarter a year earlier. It recorded an operating loss of $69.6 million.

Sphere Entertainment said its next production, The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sphere, arrives in 2027. Executive Chairman and Chief Executive James Dolan told analysts the Rocky Horror production will take under twelve months to make. He put The Wizard of Oz at roughly two years.

What this means for operators and investors

For operators weighing whether to refresh a fixed-install show or replace it, Sphere chose the cheaper option: new effects bolted onto an existing build, arriving 13 months after the show opened rather than waiting on a new production. For investors, it’s a bet that animatronics and scent keep pulling from the audience that has already produced more than $400 million in ticket sales.

FAQ

What are the new Sphere Wizard of Oz 4D effects? Animatronic Winged Monkeys, themed scents, “Glinda Glitter,” pyrotechnic fireworks and scented apples, per Sphere Entertainment’s 31 August 2026 announcement.

When do the new 4D effects at Sphere debut? Friday 25 September 2026, according to the company.

How long has The Wizard of Oz at Sphere been running? Since August 2025. The September effects arrive about 13 months into the run, and tickets are on sale through the beginning of 2027.

How large is the display The Wizard of Oz plays on at Sphere? The venue’s interior LED display covers 160,000 square feet and measures 240 feet across, invidis reported.

What is Sphere Entertainment’s next production after The Wizard of Oz? The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sphere, which the company says arrives in 2027.

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