Every week, we’ll take a look back 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years into the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office that weekend historically. All data is taken from Box Office Mojo. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office. The second 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 chance at this stage of the game. Please let us know if you like our new feature or if you want to see more information and we’ll see what we can do!

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

Blue Jasmine (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actress (Cate Blanchett), Original Screenplay.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 25-27, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Dark Knight – $75,166,466 ($313,781,677 total) {week 2}
1. Wanted – $2,738,550 ($128,627,405 total) {week 5}
7. WALL-E – $6,422,186 ($195,308,076 total) {week 5}
8. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $5,100,305 ($66,059,925 total) {week 3}
12. Kung Fu Panda – $1,055,932 ($208,997,686 total) {week 8}
22. Iron Man – $310,654 ($314,925,955 total) {week 13}
25. Mongol – $163,137 ($5,171,878 total) {week 8}
28. The Visitor – $116,995 ($9,008,123 total) {week 16}
32. Encounters at the End of the World – $62,633 ($578,334 total) {week 7}
37. Man on Wire – $51,392 ($51,392 total) {week 1}
83. The Counterfeiters – $5,258 ($5,468,369 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Dark Knight – $83,122,805 ($346,995,336 total)
1. Wanted – $3,028,424 ($142,242,562 total)
7. WALL-E – $7,101,972 ($215,981,354 total)
8. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $5,640,170 ($73,052,340 total)
12. Kung Fu Panda – $1,167,702 ($231,120,004 total)
22. Iron Man – $343,537 ($348,260,736 total)
25. Mongol – $180,405 ($5,719,319 total)
28. The Visitor – $129,379 ($9,961,629 total)
32. Encounters at the End of the World – $69,263 ($639,550 total)
37. Man on Wire – $56,832 ($56,832 total)
83. The Counterfeiters – $5,815 ($6,047,194 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Counterfeiters: Foreign Language Film [O]
• The Dark Knight: Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger) [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Encounters at the End of the World: Documentary Feature
• Hellboy II: The Golden Army: Makeup
• Iron Man: Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Kung Fu Panda: Animated Feature
• Man on Wire: Documentary Feature [O]
• Mongol: Foreign Language Film
• The Visitor: Actor (Richard Jenkins)
• WALL-E: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Down to Earth”), Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Wanted: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 25-27, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

2. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $23,136,029 ($176,838,155 total) {week 3}
5. Seabiscuit – $20,854,735 ($20,854,735 total) {week 1}
8. Finding Nemo – $4,391,650 ($313,119,898 total) {week 9}
14. Whale Rider – $1,085,258 ($9,577,687 total) {week 8}
23. Winged Migration – $337,296 ($5,962,361 total) {week 15}
27. Capturing the Friedmans – $136,722 ($2,370,574 total) {week 9}
35. Chicago – $105,211 ($170,306,377 total) {week 31}
36. Dirty Pretty Things – $100,588 ($260,222 total) {week 2}
47. Nowhere in Africa – $48,756 ($5,814,629 total) {week 21}
52. The Barbarian Invasions – $31,805 ($4,382,240 total) {week 12}
61. The Weather Underground – $23,108 ($129,863 total) {week 8}
62. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $22,680 ($339,734,454 total) {week 32}
66. A Mighty Wind – $14,579 ($17,508,936 total) {week 15}
75. City of God – $8,689 ($4,497,100 total) {week 28}
77. The Man Without a Past – $8,258 ($873,370 total) {week 17}
91. Balseros – $5,111 ($7,979 total) {week 1}
92. The Quiet American – $5,028 ($12,983,431 total) {week 36}
102. Bowling for Columbine – $2,773 ($21,548,337 total) {week 42}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $30,464,357 ($232,851,567 total)
5. Seabiscuit – $27,460,464 ($27,460,464 total)
8. Finding Nemo – $5,782,703 ($412,300,496 total)
14. Whale Rider – $1,429,013 ($12,611,415 total)
23. Winged Migration – $444,134 ($7,850,936 total)
27. Capturing the Friedmans – $180,029 ($3,121,452 total)
35. Chicago – $138,537 ($224,250,851 total)
36. Dirty Pretty Things – $132,449 ($342,647 total)
47. Nowhere in Africa – $64,199 ($7,656,410 total)
52. The Barbarian Invasions – $41,879 ($5,770,313 total)
61. The Weather Underground – $30,427 ($170,997 total)
62. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $29,864 ($447,345,201 total)
66. A Mighty Wind – $19,197 ($23,054,884 total)
75. City of God – $11,441 ($5,921,555 total)
77. The Man Without a Past – $10,874 ($1,150,010 total)
91. Balseros – $6,730 ($10,506 total)
92. The Quiet American – $6,621 ($17,095,927 total)
102. Bowling for Columbine – $3,651 ($28,373,764 total)

Oscar Details:

• Balseros: Documentary Feature
• The Barbarian Invasions: Original Screenplay, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Bowling for Columbine: Documentary Feature [O]
• Capturing the Friedmans: Documentary Feature
• Chicago: Picture [O], Director, Actress (Renee Zellweger), Supporting Actor (John C. Reilly), Supporting Actress (Catherine Zeta-Jones [O], Queen Latifah), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“I Move On”), Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Sound [O]
• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• Dirty Pretty Things: Original Screenplay
• Finding Nemo: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Editing
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Picture, Editing, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Man Without a Past: Foreign Language Film
• A Mighty Wind: Original Song (“A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow”)
• Nowhere in Africa: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: Actor (Johnny Depp), Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• The Quiet American: Actor (Michael Caine)
• Seabiscuit: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature
• Whale Rider: Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
• Winged Migration: Documentary Feature

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 24-26, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

1. Saving Private Ryan – $30,576,104 ($30,576,104 total) {week 1}
2. The Mask of Zorro – $13,414,229 ($47,269,464 total) {week 2}
5. Armageddon – $11,159,371 ($149,607,826 total) {week 4}
10. Mulan – $3,516,744 ($108,138,500 total) {week 6}
12. Titanic – $1,476,279 ($593,234,448 total) {week 32}
14. The Truman Show – $1,017,723 ($122,019,970 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Saving Private Ryan – $51,764,236 ($51,764,236 total)
2. The Mask of Zorro – $22,709,803 ($80,025,489 total)
5. Armageddon – $18,892,411 ($253,280,627 total)
10. Mulan – $5,953,720 ($183,074,561 total)
12. Titanic – $2,499,287 ($1,004,324,417 total)
14. The Truman Show – $1,722,968 ($206,575,386 total)

Oscar Details:

• Armageddon: Original Song (“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”), Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• The Mask of Zorro: Sound, Sound Effects
• Mulan: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Saving Private Ryan: Picture, Director [O], Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Makeup, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
• Titanic: Picture [O], Director [O], Actress (Kate Winslet), Supporting Actress (Gloria Stuart), Original Dramatic Score [O], Original Song (“My Heart Will Go On”) [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Truman Show: Director, Supporting Actor (Ed Harris), Original Screenplay

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 23-25, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

1. Poetic Justice – $11,728,455 ($11,728,455 total) {week 1}
2. In the Line of Fire – $11,214,003 ($54,119,247 total) {week 3}
3. The Firm – $10,000,456 ($112,896,195 total) {week 4}
5. Jurassic Park – $8,420,160 ($270,958,085 total) {week 7}
7. Sleepless in Seattle – $5,754,245 ($81,724,953 total) {week 5}
13. What’s Love Got to Do With It – $1,469,695 ($33,906,438 total) {week 7}
999. Cliffhanger – $667,188 ($77,106,270 total) {week 9}
999. Scent of a Woman – $29,520 ($62,905,496 total) {week 31}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Poetic Justice – $22,493,704 ($22,493,704 total)
2. In the Line of Fire – $21,507,049 ($103,793,918 total)
3. The Firm – $19,179,619 ($216,520,722 total)
5. Jurassic Park – $16,148,809 ($519,663,574 total)
7. Sleepless in Seattle – $11,035,919 ($156,738,195 total)
13. What’s Love Got to Do With It – $2,818,690 ($65,028,289 total)
999. Cliffhanger – $1,279,583 ($147,880,141 total)
999. Scent of a Woman – $56,616 ($120,644,840 total)

Oscar Details:

• Cliffhanger: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• The Firm: Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter), Original Score
• In the Line of Fire: Supporting Actor (John Malkovich), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Poetic Justice: Original Song (“Again”)
• Scent of a Woman: Picture, Director, Actor (Al Pacino) [O], Adapted Screenplay
• Sleepless in Seattle: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“A Wink and a Smile”)
• What’s Love Got to Do With It: Actor (Laurence Fishburne), Actress (Angela Bassett)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 22-24, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

1. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $8,919,732 ($84,057,913 total) {week 5}
2. Coming to America – $8,886,442 ($81,234,946 total) {week 4}
3. Die Hard – $7,105,514 ($10,147,587 total) {week 2}
9. Big – $3,904,483 ($75,251,703 total) {week 8}
10. Bull Durham – $2,416,510 ($36,314,129 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $17,231,794 ($162,389,253 total)
2. Coming to America – $17,167,482 ($156,935,638 total)
3. Die Hard – $13,726,954 ($19,603,854 total)
9. Big – $7,542,967 ($145,376,769 total)
10. Bull Durham – $4,668,392 ($70,154,303 total)

Oscar Details:

• Big: Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay
• Bull Durham: Original Screenplay
• Coming to America: Costume Design, Makeup
• Die Hard: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O], Special Achievement Award (Animation Direction, Richard Williams)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 29-31, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

3. Return of the Jedi – $5,659,948 ($201,411,234 total) {week 10}
7. Trading Places – $3,043,667 ($64,266,216 total) {week 8}
10. WarGames – $2,097,748 ($55,092,916 total) {week 9}
12. Flashdance – $1,573,396 ($68,574,323 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Return of the Jedi – $14,266,663 ($507,684,190 total)
7. Trading Places – $7,671,973 ($161,991,668 total)
10. WarGames – $5,287,657 ($138,869,128 total)
12. Flashdance – $3,965,957 ($172,850,833 total)

Oscar Details:

• Flashdance: Original Song (“Flashdance…What a Feeling”) [O], Original Song (“Maniac”), Editing, Cinematography
• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• Trading Places: Original Song Score
• WarGames: Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Sound