Every week, we’ll take a look back in 5-year intervals at the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office each weekend historically. All data is collected from Box Office Mojo. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office (as well as a section looking at the inflation-adjusted numbers). The third section is an alphabetical list of those films and the categories in which they were nominated. And to start each week off, we’ll be looking at the films releasing over the weekend that have the best chance of getting Oscar nominations and specifying the categories where we think they have the best shots at this stage of the game. If you have any suggestions for more data you’d like to see, please let us know.

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

Hello, My Name Is Doris (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Sally Field).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 18-20, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

2. Rango – $15,076,575 ($92,338,691 total) {week 3}
13. The King’s Speech – $2,034,151 ($132,476,381 total) {week 17}
17. Tangled – $616,057 ($197,714,178 total) {week 17}
20. Jane Eyre – $466,409 ($719,514 total) {week 2}
24. True Grit – $250,011 ($169,780,608 total) {week 13}
25. The Fighter – $219,526 ($93,367,575 total) {week 15}
26. Black Swan – $174,210 ($106,303,657 total) {week 16}
30. Barney’s Version – $142,392 ($3,806,536 total) {week 10}
35. Tron: Legacy – $102,234 ($171,777,398 total) {week 14}
37. Biutiful – $92,137 ($4,701,247 total) {week 8}
41. The Illusionist – $72,094 ($1,974,831 total) {week 12}
43. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I – $67,135 ($294,825,350 total) {week 18}
51. Another Year – $37,352 ($3,076,358 total) {week 12}
52. Blue Valentine – $34,366 ($9,576,561 total) {week 12}
57. Inside Job – $25,173 ($4,237,852 total) {week 24}
61. 127 Hours – $17,397 ($18,282,898 total) {week 20}
72. Rabbit Hole – $10,614 ($2,185,206 total) {week 14}
105. Winter’s Bone – $975 ($6,530,506 total) {week 41}
110. Dogtooth – $550 ($110,197 total) {week 39}
120. Waste Land – $102 ($187,716 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Rango – $15,532,865 ($95,133,305 total)
13. The King’s Speech – $2,095,714 ($136,485,754 total)
17. Tangled – $634,702 ($203,697,961 total)
20. Jane Eyre – $480,525 ($741,290 total)
24. True Grit – $257,578 ($174,918,987 total)
25. The Fighter – $226,170 ($96,193,328 total)
26. Black Swan – $179,482 ($109,520,918 total)
30. Barney’s Version – $146,701 ($3,921,740 total)
35. Tron: Legacy – $105,328 ($176,976,210 total)
37. Biutiful – $94,926 ($4,843,529 total)
41. The Illusionist – $74,276 ($2,034,599 total)
43. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I – $69,167 ($303,748,185 total)
51. Another Year – $38,482 ($3,169,463 total)
52. Blue Valentine – $35,406 ($9,866,394 total)
57. Inside Job – $25,935 ($4,366,110 total)
61. 127 Hours – $17,924 ($18,836,227 total)
72. Rabbit Hole – $10,935 ($2,251,341 total)
105. Winter’s Bone – $1,005 ($6,728,151 total)
110. Dogtooth – $567 ($113,532 total)
120. Waste Land – $105 ($193,397 total)

Oscar Details:

• 127 Hours: Picture, Actor (James Franco), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“If I Rise”), Editing
• Another Year: Original Screenplay
• Barney’s Version: Makeup
• Biutiful: Actor (Javier Bardem), Foreign Language Film
• Black Swan: Picture, Direcing, Actress (Natalie Portman) [O], Editing, Cinematography
• Blue Valentine: Actress (Michelle Williams)
• Dogtooth: Foreign Language Film
• The Fighter: Picture, Directing, Supporting Actor (Christian Bale) [O], Supporting Actress (Amy Adams, Melissa Leo [O]), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I: Art Direction, Visual Effects
• The Illusionist: Animated Feature
• Inside Job: Documentary Feature
• Jane Eyre: Costume Design
• The King’s Speech: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Colin Firth) [O], Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Supporting Actress (Helena Bonham Carter), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• Rabbit Hole: Actress (Nicole Kidman)
• Rango: Animated Feature [O]
• Tangled: Original Song (“I See the Light”)
• Tron: Legacy: Sound Editing
• True Grit: Picture, Directing, Actor (Jeff Bridges), Supporting Actress (Hailee Steinfeld), Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Waste Land: Documentary Feature
• Winter’s Bone: Picture, Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Supporting Actor (John Hawkes), Adapted Screenplay

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 17-19, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

20. Brokeback Mountain – $545,919 ($82,057,408 total) {week 15}
21. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – $542,977 ($289,847,008 total) {week 15}
22. Capote – $418,778 ($27,865,197 total) {week 25}
23. Mrs. Henderson Presents – $346,838 ($9,927,344 total) {week 15}
25. Transamerica – $340,473 ($8,219,197 total) {week 16}
27. Crash – $314,717 ($54,188,544 total) {week 46}
29. Tsotsi – $300,467 ($862,254 total) {week 4}
32. King Kong – $214,830 ($217,619,085 total) {week 14}
34. Walk the Line – $203,445 ($119,148,939 total) {week 18}
35. Syriana – $167,164 ($50,245,345 total) {week 17}
38. Match Point – $160,150 ($23,089,926 total) {week 12}
47. Munich – $93,405 ($47,290,275 total) {week 13}
54. Joyeux Noel – $59,778 ($459,851 total) {week 14}
58. The New World – $43,974 ($12,634,666 total) {week 13}
61. Sophie Scholl – $36,902 ($217,131 total) {week 5}
73. Days of Glory – $12,202 ($256,451 total) {week 15}
76. Don’t Tell – $13,805 ($13,805 total) {week 1}
77. The Squid and the Whale – $13,220 ($7,362,100 total) {week 24}
79. Paradise Now – $9,946 ($1,452,402 total) {week 21}
105. Darwin’s Nightmare – $2,517 ($179,953 total) {week 33}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

20. Brokeback Mountain – $680,940 ($102,352,523 total)
21. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – $677,271 ($361,534,360 total)
22. Capote – $522,354 ($34,757,047 total)
23. Mrs. Henderson Presents – $432,621 ($12,382,657 total)
25. Transamerica – $424,682 ($10,252,037 total)
27. Crash – $392,555 ($67,590,901 total)
29. Tsotsi – $374,781 ($1,075,514 total)
32. King Kong – $267,964 ($271,442,431 total)
34. Walk the Line – $253,763 ($148,617,837 total)
35. Syriana – $208,508 ($62,672,438 total)
38. Match Point – $199,760 ($28,800,717 total)
47. Munich – $116,507 ($58,986,496 total)
54. Joyeux Noel – $74,563 ($573,585 total)
58. The New World – $54,850 ($15,759,576 total)
61. Sophie Scholl – $46,029 ($270,834 total)
73. Days of Glory – $15,220 ($319,879 total)
76. Don’t Tell – $17,219 ($17,219 total)
77. The Squid and the Whale – $16,490 ($9,182,955 total)
79. Paradise Now – $12,406 ($1,811,622 total)
105. Darwin’s Nightmare – $3,140 ($224,460 total)

Oscar Details:

• Brokeback Mountain: Picture, Directing [O], Actor (Heath Ledger), Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Cinematography
• Capote: Picture, Directing, Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman) [O], Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), Adapted Screenplay
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Makeup [O], Sound Mixing, Visual Effects
• Crash: Picture [O], Directing, Supporting Actor (Matt Dillon), Original Screenplay [O], Original Song (“In the Deep”), Editing [O]
• Darwin’s Nightmare: Documentary Feature
• Days of Glory: Foreign Language Film
• Don’t Tell: Foreign Language Film
• Joyeux Noel: Foreign Language Film
• King Kong: Art Direction, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Match Point: Original Screenplay
• Mrs. Henderson Presents: Actress (Judi Dench), Costume Design
• Munich: Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing
• The New World: Cinematography
• Paradise Now: Foreign Language Film
• Sophie Scholl: Foreign Language Film
• The Squid and the Whale: Original Screenplay
• Syriana: Supporting Actor (George Clooney) [O], Original Screenplay
• Transamerica: Actress (Felicity Huffman), Original Song (“Travelin’ Thru”)
• Tsotsi: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Walk the Line: Actor (Joaquin Phoenix), Actress (Reese Witherspoon) [O], Editing, Costume Design, Sound Mixing

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 16-18, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

6. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – $4,044,988 ($100,277,062 total) {week 15}
9. Chocolat – $3,428,184 ($55,914,814 total) {week 14}
10. Traffic – $3,414,195 ($102,474,338 total) {week 12}
13. O Brother, Where Art Thou? – $1,488,876 ($35,245,942 total) {week 13}
14. Cast Away – $1,229,032 ($227,682,611 total) {week 13}
17. Pollock – $745,854 ($3,769,858 total) {week 14}
21. The Emperor’s New Groove – $329,973 ($86,886,146 total) {week 14}
25. You Can Count on Me – $251,585 ($8,354,680 total) {week 19}
27. Memento – $235,488 ($235,488 total) {week 1}
28. Before Night Falls – $223,984 ($3,485,859 total) {week 13}
29. 102 Dalmatians – $198,526 ($66,450,519 total) {week 17}
31. Billy Elliot – $175,950 ($21,168,395 total) {week 23}
36. Shadow of the Vampire – $133,558 ($8,059,062 total) {week 12}
41. Meet the Parents – $103,500 ($166,142,600 total) {week 24}
47. Malena – $83,877 ($3,263,862 total) {week 13}
53. Quills – $62,222 ($6,839,584 total) {week 17}
59. Almost Famous – $35,479 ($32,476,167 total) {week 27}
999. Gladiator – $27,614 ($186,825,344 total) {week 46}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – $5,838,790 ($144,746,218 total)
9. Chocolat – $4,948,456 ($80,710,959 total)
10. Traffic – $4,928,264 ($147,917,905 total)
13. O Brother, Where Art Thou? – $2,149,137 ($50,876,210 total)
14. Cast Away – $1,774,062 ($328,651,401 total)
17. Pollock – $1,076,613 ($5,441,650 total)
21. The Emperor’s New Groove – $476,304 ($125,416,928 total)
25. You Can Count on Me – $363,154 ($12,059,671 total)
27. Memento – $339,918 ($339,918 total)
28. Before Night Falls – $323,313 ($5,031,708 total)
29. 102 Dalmatians – $286,565 ($95,918,859 total)
31. Billy Elliot – $253,977 ($30,555,793 total)
36. Shadow of the Vampire – $192,786 ($11,632,957 total)
41. Meet the Parents – $149,398 ($239,820,679 total)
47. Malena – $121,073 ($4,711,264 total)
53. Quills – $89,815 ($9,872,686 total)
59. Almost Famous – $51,213 ($46,878,142 total)
999. Gladiator – $39,860 ($269,675,452 total)

Oscar Details:

• 102 Dalmatians: Costume Design
• Almost Famous: Supporting Actress (Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand), Original Screenplay [O], Editing
• Before Night Falls: Actor (Javier Bardem)
• Billy Elliot: Directing, Supporting Actress (Julie Walters), Original Screenplay
• Cast Away: Actor (Tom Hanks), Sound
• Chocolat: Picture, Actress (Juliette Binoche), Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“A Love Before Time”), Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Foreign Language Film [O]
• The Emperor’s New Groove: Original Song (“My Funny Friend and Me”)
• Gladiator: Picture [O], Directing, Actor (Russell Crowe) [O], Supporting Actor (Joaquin Phoenix) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Sound [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Malena: Original Score, Cinematography
• Meet the Parents: Original Song (“A Fool in Love”)
• Memento: Original Screenplay, Film Editing
• O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Cinematography
• Pollock: Actor (Ed Harris), Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden) [O]
• Quills: Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Art Direction, Costume Design
• Shadow of the Vampire: Supporting Actor (Willem Dafoe), Makeup
• Traffic: Picture, Directing [O], Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing [O]
• You Can Count on Me: Actress (Laura Linney), Original Screenplay

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 15-17, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Birdcage – $16,034,306 ($41,336,832 total) {week 2}
4. Up Close and Personal – $5,196,194 ($29,963,833 total) {week 3}
6. Mr. Holland’s Opus – $2,228,781 ($69,930,705 total) {week 12}
13. Dead Man Walking – $1,211,581 ($28,299,423 total) {week 12}
14. Fargo – $914,202 ($1,938,339 total) {week 2}
999. Braveheart – $274,094 ($72,888,864 total) {week 43}
999. Toy Story – $156,446 ($184,435,662 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Birdcage – $29,638,072 ($76,407,674 total)
4. Up Close and Personal – $9,604,730 ($55,385,637 total)
6. Mr. Holland’s Opus – $4,119,715 ($129,261,054 total)
13. Dead Man Walking – $2,239,506 ($52,309,114 total)
14. Fargo – $1,689,826 ($3,582,857 total)
999. Braveheart – $506,640 ($134,728,964 total)
999. Toy Story – $289,177 ($340,913,882 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Birdcage: Art Direction
• Braveheart: Picture [O], Directing [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Dead Man Walking: Directing, Actor (Sean Penn), Actress (Susan Sarandon) [O], Original Song (“Dead Man Walkin’”)
• Fargo: Picture, Director, Actress (Frances McDormand) [O], Supporting Actor (William H Macy), Original Screenplay [O], Editing, Cinematography
• Mr. Holland’s Opus: Actor (Richard Dreyfuss)
• Toy Story: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“You’ve Got a Friend in Me”), Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Up Close and Personal: Original Song (“Because You Loved Me”)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 15-17, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Silence of the Lambs – $7,656,361 ($68,885,835 total) {week 5}
8. Dances With Wolves – $2,816,640 ($131,271,171 total) {week 19}
9. Home Alone – $2,731,894 ($249,557,920 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Silence of the Lambs – $14,858,069 ($133,681,062 total)
8. Dances With Wolves – $5,466,021 ($254,747,142 total)
9. Home Alone – $5,301,562 ($484,296,486 total)

Oscar Details:

• Dances With Wolves: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Kevin Costner), Supporting Actor (Graham Greene), Supporting Actress (Mary McDonnell), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound [O]
• Home Alone: Original Song (“Somewhere in My Memory”), Original Score
• The Silence of the Lambs: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Anthony Hopkins) [O], Actress (Jodie Foster) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Sound

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 14-16, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

3. The Color Purple – $3,006,827 ($73,631,931 total) {week 13}
5. Hannah and Her Sisters – $2,707,966 ($17,220,892 total) {week 6}
9. Murphy’s Romance – $1,421,863 ($24,629,210 total) {week 12}
10. Out of Africa – $1,360,825 ($69,670,271 total) {week 13}
999. Back to the Future – $498,815 ($202,484,520 total) {week 37}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. The Color Purple – $6,621,503 ($162,149,023 total)
5. Hannah and Her Sisters – $5,963,364 ($37,923,096 total)
9. Murphy’s Romance – $3,131,165 ($54,237,371 total)
10. Out of Africa – $2,996,749 ($153,424,829 total)
999. Back to the Future – $1,098,469 ($445,902,568 total)

Oscar Details:

• Back to the Future: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“The Power of Love’), Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• The Color Purple: Picture, Actress (Whoopi Goldberg), Supporting Actress (Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Miss Celie’s Blues (Sister)”)
• Hannah and Her Sisters: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Michael Caine) [O], Supporting Actress (Dianne Wiest) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Art Direction
• Murphy’s Romance: Actor (James Garner), Cinematography
• Out of Africa: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actress (Meryl Streep), Supporting Actor (Klaus Maria Brandauer), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Sound [O]