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In rapid-fire fashion, Sphere Entertainment<\/a> Chairman and CEO Jim Dolan\u2019s<\/strong> lead spoke to potential residencies and productions and knocked one down.<\/p>\n Appearing at a press gathering before \u201cThe Wizard of Oz at Sphere\u201d<\/a> premiere, Dolan played a form of word association with yours truly to chat of potential Sphere headlining shows, confirming one (Eagles concert film) is all but announced and another (Taylor Swift)<\/a> is not happening. That stretch, as follows:<\/p>\n Johnny Kats:<\/strong> \u201cHow about Taylor <\/strong>Swift<\/strong>?\u201d<\/p>\n Jim Dolan:<\/strong> \u201cDefinitely not happening. There are no discussions at all. Love Taylor but definitely, literally nothing going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Kats: <\/strong>\u201cMetallica.<\/strong>\u201d <\/a><\/p>\n Dolan:<\/strong> \u201cNothing to announce, but I\u2019m not going to dissuade that one.\u201d<\/p>\n Kats:<\/strong> \u201cThe<\/strong> Eagles<\/strong>\u2019 concert movie.\u201d<\/p>\n Dolan:<\/strong> \u201cWait and see. We\u2019ve already shot the Eagles show.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Kats:<\/strong> \u201cLady<\/strong> Gaga<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Dolan: <\/strong>\u201cMaybe (chuckles). These are all maybes.\u201d<\/p>\n The lord of Sphere also said Backstreet <\/strong>Boys<\/strong>,<\/a> which TMZ reported Thursday without confirmation earned $4 million per show, had exceeded his expectations by a long throw.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, they surprised me,\u201d Dolan said. \u201cI mean, look, I knew there were people who loved their music, and loved them. But they embraced the Sphere technology and used it really, really well, in combination with their music and their performance.\u201d<\/p>\n Dolan said he also detected a characteristic of BSB\u2019s fans.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re crazy,\u201d <\/em>Dolan said, laughing. \u201cI mean, really crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n During a group session alongside Sphere President and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Koester<\/strong> and \u201cWizard\u201d Visual Effects Supervisor Ben <\/strong>Grossman<\/strong>, Dolan confirmed, for the first time the project\u2019s price tag of $100 million.<\/p>\n Earlier reports were $80 million. But Dolan said, \u201cWe ended up about 2X over what we were originally thinking,\u201d or (consults calculator) $50 million.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you see it,\u201d Dolan said, \u201cyou\u2019ll tell me if it was worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n Dolan said the original plan for \u201cWizard of Oz\u201d was to announce in April, premiere in May. It was a no-go at that time.<\/p>\n \u201cWe looked at it in late-March, early April and it was not what we wanted it to be,\u201d Dolan said. Asked what was the issue, he said, \u201cAll the AI, the resolutions. After that we doubled up our effects houses, and there were a lot of workers on this project. But the team really came through.\u201d<\/p>\n Dolan was asked what specifically needed to be achieved for \u201cWizard of Oz\u201d to meet his standards.<\/p>\n \u201cI look at as the artistry first, and I feel that we\u2019re there right,\u201d the exec said. \u201cWe\u2019re actually doing more work, probably the next month or two, on it and clean up some things that most people won\u2019t even notice. But other than that, of course, we want it to be a financial success.\u201d<\/p>\n May we recommend \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n The \u201cDave<\/span> Koz<\/span> <\/strong>and Friends Summer Horns Tour\u201d at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center. A full horn section featuring<\/span> sax man Marcus Anderson,<\/strong>\u201cMr. Trombone\u201d Jeff Bradshaw<\/strong>, legendary \u2018dancing\u2019 baritone saxophonist Leonardo Pellegrino, (Leo P <\/strong>to you and me) and young trumpet sensation Evan Taylor. <\/strong>This pack o\u2019 talent backs ace incredible vocalist Marcel Anderson. <\/strong>Go to thesmithcenter.com for intel.<\/p>\n John Katsilometes\u2019 column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com.<\/a> Follow @johnnykats<\/a> on X, @JohnnyKats1<\/a> on Instagram.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n