The Wizard of Oz Sphere residency earnings

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‘The Wizard of Oz’ outsells U2’s Achtung Baby to become the Sphere’s highest-selling residency to date, generating over $65 million in ticket sales.

Bringing in an estimated $2 million per day since opening in June, “The Wizard of Oz” is well on its way to becoming the most lucrative show at the Las Vegas Sphere, according to a report from Wolfe Research.

“The Wizard of Oz” has already sold half a million tickets and generated more than $65 million in ticket sales in the last 90-plus days; the film is expected to push Sphere’s profit to over $500 million in 2026 to become “the world’s most profitable venue.” Shares of the company’s stock (NYSE:SPHR) traded at around $56 on Friday, September 12.

Before the success of “The Wizard of Oz” immersive experience, the Sphere’s most successful performance was U2’s Achtung Baby Live residency. The Dublin darlings sold nearly 700,000 tickets and drew in $244.5 million across 40 shows. Other bands that have played at the Sphere include the Eagles, Phish, and Dead & Company, with the Backstreet Boys slated to play there from December to February.

“The Wizard of Oz” at the Sphere offers a unique, immersive experience using a 160,000 square-foot screen and AI technology to replicate the environment in the film. The AI fills in parts of the venue’s screens that would otherwise have been left blank as a result of the original 1939 film’s smaller frames. Everything from the sights, smells, and leaves blowing in the wind is designed to transport the audience to Oz in a way previously unseen—and the project cost nearly $100 million to develop.

The Sphere, which itself cost a whopping $2.3 billion to build, has struggled to become profitable since opening in late 2023. That’s due in no small part to the production costs of putting on shows there. But it seems the movie experience is about to change all that: people are flocking to see the show at $104 per ticket, eager for a unique viewing experience they can’t get at any other theater.