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

None

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 23-25, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

2. Moneyball – $19,501,302 ($19,501,302 total) {week 1}
7. Drive – $5,763,998 ($21,417,373 total) {week 2}
8. The Help – $4,370,051 ($154,414,153 total) {week 7}
12. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $1,162,288 ($173,600,811 total) {week 8}
14. Warrior – $1,119,835 ($12,210,126 total) {week 3}
21. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $401,086 ($351,902,625 total) {week 13}
22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $387,448 ($378,824,316 total) {week 11}
31. Midnight in Paris – $222,430 ($54,432,211 total) {week 19}
41. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $78,563 ($165,230,261 total) {week 18}
42. Bridesmaids – $78,255 ($169,076,745 total) {week 20}
57. The Tree of Life – $31,743 ($13,205,306 total) {week 18}
125. Incendies – $769 ($2,070,068 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Moneyball – $20,091,505 ($20,091,505 total)
7. Drive – $5,938,444 ($22,065,566 total)
8. The Help – $4,502,310 ($159,087,469 total)
12. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $1,197,464 ($178,854,808 total)
14. Warrior – $1,153,727 ($12,579,663 total)
21. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $413,225 ($362,552,894 total)
22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $399,174 ($390,289,365 total)
31. Midnight in Paris – $229,162 ($56,079,592 total)
41. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $80,941 ($170,230,925 total)
42. Bridesmaids – $80,623 ($174,193,822 total)
57. The Tree of Life – $32,704 ($13,604,962 total)
125. Incendies – $792 ($2,132,718 total)

Oscar Details:

• Bridesmaids: Supporting Actress (Melissa McCarthy), Original Screenplay
• Drive: Sound Editing
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2: Art Direction, Makeup, Visual Effects
• The Help: Picture, Actress (Viola Davis), Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer [O])
• Incendies: Foreign Language Film
• Kung Fu Panda 2: Animated Feature
• Midnight in Paris: Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay [O], Art Direction
• Moneyball: Picture, Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Mixing
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Visual Effects
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• The Tree of Life: Picture, Directing, Cinematography
• Warrior: Supporting Actor (Nick Nolte)

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 22-24, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

6. The Black Dahlia – $4,449,985 ($17,270,675 total) {week 2}
8. The Illusionist – $3,333,383 ($27,592,197 total) {week 6}
10. Little Miss Sunshine – $2,821,315 ($50,286,378 total) {week 9}
20. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $868,255 ($419,654,338 total) {week 12}
24. Monster House – $365,488 ($72,314,890 total) {week 10}
26. Cars – $318,716 ($243,469,180 total) {week 16}
28. Superman Returns – $301,373 ($198,447,055 total) {week 13}
29. Half Nelson – $290,708 ($1,838,817 total) {week 7}
30. The Devil Wears Prada – $266,219 ($123,588,615 total) {week 13}
34. Click – $183,577 ($137,340,146 total) {week 14}
47. An Inconvenient Truth – $59,208 ($23,600,306 total) {week 18}
56. Jesus Camp – $37,348 ($65,370 total) {week 2}
100. Water – $5,831 ($3,248,585 total) {week 22}
121. My Country, My Country – $1,485 ($24,354 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. The Black Dahlia – $5,550,592 ($21,542,201 total)
8. The Illusionist – $4,157,823 ($34,416,527 total)
10. Little Miss Sunshine – $3,519,106 ($62,723,620 total)
20. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $1,082,999 ($523,446,709 total)
24. Monster House – $455,884 ($90,200,405 total)
26. Cars – $397,543 ($303,685,985 total)
28. Superman Returns – $375,911 ($247,528,617 total)
29. Half Nelson – $362,608 ($2,293,608 total)
30. The Devil Wears Prada – $332,062 ($154,155,570 total)
34. Click – $228,981 ($171,308,243 total)
47. An Inconvenient Truth – $73,852 ($29,437,328 total)
56. Jesus Camp – $46,585 ($81,538 total)
100. Water – $7,273 ($4,052,052 total)
121. My Country, My Country – $1,852 ($30,377 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Black Dahlia: Cinematography
• Cars: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Our Town”)
• Click: Makeup
• The Devil Wears Prada: Actress (Meryl Streep), Costume Design
• Half Nelson: Actor (Ryan Gosling)
• The Illusionist: Cinematography
• An Inconvenient Truth: Original Song (“I Need to Wake Up” [O]), Documentary Feature [O]
• Jesus Camp: Documentary Feature
• Little Miss Sunshine: Picture, Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin [O]), Supporting Actress (Abigail Breslin), Original Screenplay [O]
• Monster House: Animated Feature
• My Country, My Country: Documentary Feature
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest: Art Direction, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Superman Returns: Visual Effects
• Water: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 21-23, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

20. Shrek – $662,761 ($264,752,789 total) {week 19}
26. Ghost World – $373,048 ($4,694,484 total) {week 10}
39. Pearl Harbor – $145,951 ($197,379,952 total) {week 18}
55. Moulin Rouge! – $70,418 ($56,495,724 total) {week 19}
57. Sexy Beast – $55,767 ($6,731,425 total) {week 15}
999. Children Underground – $3,075 ($4,758 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

20. Shrek – $956,671 ($382,160,828 total)
26. Ghost World – $538,481 ($6,776,313 total)
39. Pearl Harbor – $210,675 ($284,910,637 total)
55. Moulin Rouge! – $101,646 ($81,549,481 total)
57. Sexy Beast – $80,498 ($9,716,562 total)
999. Children Underground – $4,439 ($6,868 total)

Oscar Details:

• Children Underground: Documentary Feature
• Ghost World: Adapted Screenplay
• Moulin Rouge!: Picture, Actress (Nicole Kidman), Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
• Pearl Harbor: Original Song (“There You’ll Be”), Sound, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Sexy Beast: Supporting Actor (Ben Kingsley)
• Shrek: Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 20-22, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

1. First Wives Club – $18,913,411 ($18,913,411 total) {week 1}
3. Fly Away Home – $3,833,514 ($9,505,591 total) {week 2}
3. Fly Away Home – $3,833,514 ($9,505,591 total) {week 2}
9. Independence Day – $1,591,751 ($290,605,002 total) {week 12}
13. The Nutty Professor – $1,120,995 ($124,153,160 total) {week 13}
999. The Rock – $325,443 ($132,761,806 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. First Wives Club – $34,959,857 ($34,959,857 total)
3. Fly Away Home – $7,085,930 ($17,570,289 total)
3. Fly Away Home – $7,085,930 ($17,570,289 total)
9. Independence Day – $2,942,218 ($537,159,020 total)
13. The Nutty Professor – $2,072,065 ($229,486,723 total)
999. The Rock – $601,554 ($245,399,085 total)

Oscar Details:

• First Wives Club: Original Comedy or Musical Score
• Fly Away Home: Cinematography
• Fly Away Home: Cinematography
• Independence Day: Sound, Visual Effects [O]
• The Nutty Professor: Makeup [O]
• The Rock: Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 20-22, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

5. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $2,063,232 ($193,624,962 total) {week 12}
7. The Commitments – $1,752,234 ($9,042,363 total) {week 6}
9. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $1,583,494 ($157,692,794 total) {week 15}
11. City Slickers – $1,178,111 ($117,581,105 total) {week 16}
12. Boyz N the Hood – $841,312 ($53,604,068 total) {week 11}
999. Barton Fink – $630,794 ($2,829,335 total) {week 5}
999. The Fisher King – $311,662 ($311,662 total) {week 1}
999. Rambling Rose – $314,631 ($314,631 total) {week 1}
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $73,381 ($130,549,109 total) {week 32}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $4,003,944 ($375,752,005 total)
7. The Commitments – $3,400,416 ($17,547,769 total)
9. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $3,072,956 ($306,021,408 total)
11. City Slickers – $2,286,263 ($228,179,959 total)
12. Boyz N the Hood – $1,632,665 ($104,024,997 total)
999. Barton Fink – $1,224,130 ($5,490,657 total)
999. The Fisher King – $604,817 ($604,817 total)
999. Rambling Rose – $610,578 ($610,578 total)
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $142,404 ($253,345,896 total)

Oscar Details:

• Barton Fink: Supporting Actor (Michael Lerner), Art Direction, Costume Design
• Boyz N the Hood: Directing, Original Screenplay
• City Slickers: Supporting Actor (Jack Palance) [O]
• The Commitments: Film Editing
• The Fisher King: Actor (Robin Williams), Supporting Actress (Mercedes Ruehl) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction
• Rambling Rose: Actress (Laura Dern), Supporting Actress (Diane Ladd)
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves: Original Song (“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”)
• The Silence of the Lambs: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Anthony Hopkins) [O], Actress (Jodie Foster) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Sound
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day: Editing, Cinematography, Makeup [O], Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 19-21, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

1. Top Gun – $3,292,817 ($144,009,580 total) {week 19}
2. Stand By Me – $3,029,008 ($24,348,060 total) {week 7}
3. The Karate Kid Part II – $1,806,938 ($106,292,658 total) {week 14}
4. The Fly – $1,578,462 ($31,066,416 total) {week 6}
6. Aliens – $1,461,468 ($73,682,234 total) {week 10}
13. Blue Velvet – $789,409 ($789,409 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Top Gun – $7,251,298 ($317,131,609 total)
2. Stand By Me – $6,670,349 ($53,618,235 total)
3. The Karate Kid Part II – $3,979,160 ($234,073,050 total)
4. The Fly – $3,476,020 ($68,413,105 total)
6. Aliens – $3,218,381 ($162,259,798 total)
13. Blue Velvet – $1,738,402 ($1,738,402 total)

Oscar Details:

• Aliens: Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Original Score, Film Editing, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Blue Velvet: Director
• The Fly: Makeup [O]
• The Karate Kid Part II: Original Song (“Glory of Love”)
• Stand By Me: Adapted Screenplay
• Top Gun: Original Song (“Take My Breath Away” [O]), Editing, Sound, Sound Effects