Two Movies Slated for Production in Vegas' Sphere
New hour-long flicks are said to be in production for The Sphere at The Venetian. It's unclear if one or both of these films will take the spot previously held by "Postcard from Earth," the sci-fi film directed by Darren Aronofsky that's been shown between live performances since The Sphere opened last September.
One of these flicks will be a documentary on U2, whose 40-show "U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere" residency last year showcased the potential of the high-tech venue to leave viewers awestruck while bringing in the dough. This news comes from Scott Roeben, who contributes to our very own Vital Vegas, so we know it's trustworthy. The bigwigs at The Sphere, a corporation worth a whopping $1.34 billion, must be trying to figure out who let this information slip out.
The Sphere's ability to earn cash was crucial for it to prove, following a not-so-great precedent set by James Dolan. The Sphere's bigwig made a deal with U2, pledging to pay them 90% of the gate and $20 million to fund their Sphere-specific video visuals. Now, Beyonce, Harry Styles, and the Eagles are said to want the same arrangement to play there.
Reports from Vital Vegas claim that U2 was in Sin City on June 3 for chats with The Sphere's creative team about the documentary before jetting off to MSG Sphere Studios in Burbank, California, where they test new Sphere visuals in a 1/4-scale model called "Baby Sphere."
The rock doc is likely to use a lot of footage from U2's Sphere performances.
Oz Lands
But let's get to the truly thrilling news: "The Wizard of Oz" is allegedly set for a Spherification. That means using The Sphere's gargantuan video screen, the world's second largest. Just think, the largest video screen is (incredibly) outside of The Sphere.
This project will be helmed by Warner Bros. Pictures, who bought the rights to the 1939 classic as well as all other MGM films created before 1986, which many moviegoers remain blissfully unaware of.
This film is like a dream come true for those who were born in the past millennium (not just the white, male Gen Xers who make up U2's core fan base).
Vital Vegas has told us that "The Wizard of Oz" could have a special connection to Vegas. In 1993, when the new MGM Grand opened, visitors were welcomed with wax figures of Dorothy and co., as well as a yellow brick road that curved around the casino and hotel lobby, filled with mementos from the iconic film. However, this theming was removed during a two-year renovation that kicked off in 1996.
To stay up-to-date on the latest The Sphere news, check out Scott over at VitalVegas.com. We sure are!
Read also:
- Leverkusen claims victory in the cup, securing a double triumph.
- Alonso achieves a double victory after consuming a German brew.
- Does the SVolt factory in Saarland face stability issues?
- Furor surrounding Sylt scandal footage