He’s quite the intriguing character.
James Dolan, who owns the New York Knicks, made a brief appearance in the remastered edition of The Wizard of Oz, currently showcased at his innovative music venue in Las Vegas, known as the Sphere.
Sharp-eyed fans spending over $100 for tickets to the Oscar-winning film have discovered two unexpected characters featuring the faces of both Dolan and Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav.
“Where am I, right? It’s just a couple of seconds,” Dolan mentioned during the premiere media event. “[Their] faces have been swapped in for two brief characters in the movie. I dare you to find them.”
Dolan, who also runs the Rangers and Madison Square Garden, donned a green top hat reminiscent of the Wizard, effectively turning Sin City into an Emerald City adorned in green and gold.
Upon entering the Sphere’s Atrium, guests are immediately transported into Dorothy’s universe, complete with a sepia-toned Kansas area and a replica of Professor Marvel’s Caravan.
After the screening, the Atrium morphs into Emerald City, where attendees can interact with a wizard waiting behind tall curtains.
Film enthusiasts eager for photos found extra excitement on Thursday as Dolan lounged on a green throne while holding a tall staff.
Special 4D effects create a more immersive experience, like foam apples descending from the ceiling. There are also strong fans and fog machines, contributing to storm-like effects.
Though Judy Garland’s iconic voice remains in the film, the Sphere recorded new instrumentals at the same soundstage used in the 1939 classic.
Dolan has revealed that Google’s AI tech was utilized to adapt the movie for the Sphere’s 160-foot display.
“We nearly doubled our initial expectations. We’re approaching that $100 million threshold. Totally justified,” he noted.
