Acclaimed actor Timothee Chalamet has become the first celebrity to climb atop Sphere Vegas, the spherical entertainment venue famed for its 16K resolution wraparound screens. In the clip, which was shared on social media on Monday, Chalamet is framed in a close-up as he screams: “Marty Supreme is an American film that comes out on Christmas Day 2025.”
The camera then zooms out to show the actor standing on top of the 20,000-capacity venue as it turns into a giant ping-pong ball.
Marty Supreme is a sports comedy loosely based on the life and career of American table tennis player Marty Reisman. It is directed by Josh Safdie, best known for the 2019 film Uncut Gems. Besides Chalamet, who plays Marty, the film's cast includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion and Kevin O'Leary.
“It’s a true story about an American ping-pong champion in the 1950s. It’s a fantastic experience,” the film's cinematographer Darius Khondji told The National in April.
“It’s going to be a big thing, a big surprise when it comes out. There are lot of unknown actors around two or three well-known actors, like Timothee, Gwyneth Paltrow. The rest are people like filmmakers or friends or great characters they found on the street.”
Considered to be the world’s biggest spherical structure, Sphere Vegas, is 115 metres tall and 157 metres wide. Opened in 2023, it sits just off Vegas's famed Strip and reportedly cost $2.3 billion to build, making it the city's most expensive venue.
Plans to build Sphere Abu Dhabi were announced last year. While a location or opening date has not been revealed, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and US-based Sphere Vegas owners Sphere Entertainment have said that the UAE venue will be designed to host a variety of events, including concerts and storytelling sessions, while maintaining the concept venue's visual and lighting elements.
DCT – Abu Dhabi also has exclusive rights to build Sphere venues across the Middle East and North Africa over 10 years, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing by Sphere Entertainment.
Sphere Entertainment chief executive James L Dolan described the group's first international expansion as a milestone. “The vision for Sphere has always included a global network of venues,” he said. “Sphere is redefining live entertainment and extending the reach of its transformative impact. We are proud to collaborate with DCT – Abu Dhabi.”
