Sphere Goes 4D With Enhanced Wizard of Oz Special Effects Including ‘Pyrotechnic Fireworks’ and ‘Themed Scents’ — Is a Similar Expansion in Store for Concerts?

Looking to build on The Wizard of Oz’s record revenue – and the popularity of the exclusive film’s existing effects – Sphere is officially preparing to add “a series of new and expanded 4D effects” next month.

Sphere Entertainment officially shed light on those enhancements today, three weeks and change ahead of an anticipated September 25th rollout. Though it certainly appears possible that different showings (and perhaps concerts) might incorporate 4D down the line, out of the gate, the fresh effects will solely hit The Wizard of Oz.

By now, many are aware of the 75-minute experience’s commercial success, and one needn’t look far to find social posts touting current Wizard of Oz interactive effects like falling snow.

Now, the plan is evidently to expand on what’s working in this department. Sphere Entertainment specifically pointed to incoming “new and expanded 4D effects” including “animatronic Winged Monkeys,” “themed scents,” “Glinda Glitter,” “pyrotechnic fireworks,” and “scented apples.”

Technically, said apples have been part of the experience from the outset; the scent will arrive alongside the other changes on the 25th. And separately, golden apples appear to be in use at present to commemorate The Wizard of Oz’s first Sphere anniversary.

But the bigger takeaway is that Sphere higher-ups aren’t hesitant about bringing existing elements to the next level – with an eye, of course, on prolonging shows’ runs and maximizing their profits.

(“I think that Wizard of Oz could easily go 10 years, playing in other Spheres, occasionally playing in Vegas,” Sphere Entertainment head James Dolan noted when previewing the new effects during the company’s latest earnings call.)

On one hand, the model and the improvements are to some degree dependent on minimizing overhead and offering multiple showtimes per day. (Although scheduled to wind down next year in tandem with the premiere of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Wizard of Oz still has nearly 600 showings teed up between September and May.)

But when it comes to employing the same approach on the music side, legacy acts including U2 and The Eagles have turned in lengthy Sphere residencies. With carefully coordinated concerts and VIP packages already in motion, time will tell whether 4D begins playing a key role during live shows as well.

Here, literally dropping merch stands out as a cost-effective and memorable move. Months after No Doubt floated branded foam oranges down to fans, the items seem to be fetching sizable sums at resale.