Rocky Horror Sets 2027 Sphere Run as Oz Hits $400M
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- Sphere Entertainment announced a new version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show will open at Sphere in Las Vegas in 2027, though it was unclear from the announcement how the production will differ from the midnight-screening staple.
- The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, which premiered last August, has now sold more than 3 million tickets and generated $400 million in revenue, executives disclosed Tuesday.
- Jim Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment, framed the Rocky Horror booking as part of Sphere Studios' pipeline of 'original experiences' purpose-built for the massive venue.
- Sphere's Oz is an entirely new version of the 1939 classic produced by a team of producers and AI specialists and tailored to Sphere's dimensions, with film purists objecting to the trimming of more than 25 minutes including some musical numbers.
- The bespoke-venue pipeline is filling with rivals: Imax is breaking records and attracting acquisition interest, formats like 4DX and ScreenX are surging, and start-up Cosm has partnered with Warner Bros on library titles including The Matrix and the first Harry Potter film.
- The original 1975 Rocky Horror helped launch Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, and Meat Loaf to wider fame, and a Broadway adaptation extended its run this year after strong box office returns.
Why it matters: Sphere's $400 million Oz haul, achieved in under a year from a single reimagined title, validates the model of lavishly producing IP for a bespoke venue — and the Rocky Horror booking suggests Sphere plans to replicate it. The competition is heating up: Imax is fielding corporate acquisition interest, and Cosm is already programming library titles with Warner Bros, meaning Sphere's first-mover edge in this premium category has a shelf life.
