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

The Grandmaster (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Foreign Language Film.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 29-31, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

1. Tropic Thunder – $11,518,611 ($83,852,435 total) {week 3}
3. The Dark Knight – $8,622,879 ($502,293,926 total) {week 7}
10. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $2,815,506 ($12,599,417 total) {week 3}
21. WALL-E – $1,175,863 ($217,973,943 total) {week 10}
24. Kung Fu Panda – $633,024 ($213,591,364 total) {week 13}
31. Frozen River – $256,749 ($749,332 total) {week 5}
32. Man on Wire – $236,008 ($1,460,433 total) {week 6}
33. Iron Man – $223,636 ($317,794,156 total) {week 18}
35. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $166,245 ($75,374,075 total) {week 8}
36. Wanted – $158,105 ($133,980,970 total) {week 10}
51. Trouble the Water – $43,380 ($84,807 total) {week 2}
72. The Visitor – $13,641 ($9,326,665 total) {week 21}
74. Encounters at the End of the World – $11,898 ($835,194 total) {week 12}
83. Mongol – $7,591 ($5,684,339 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Tropic Thunder – $12,737,851 ($92,728,180 total)
3. The Dark Knight – $9,535,607 ($555,461,528 total)
10. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $3,113,526 ($13,933,060 total)
21. WALL-E – $1,300,328 ($241,046,394 total)
24. Kung Fu Panda – $700,029 ($236,199,921 total)
31. Frozen River – $283,926 ($828,648 total)
32. Man on Wire – $260,989 ($1,615,019 total)
33. Iron Man – $247,308 ($351,432,535 total)
35. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $183,842 ($83,352,389 total)
36. Wanted – $174,840 ($148,162,800 total)
51. Trouble the Water – $47,972 ($93,784 total)
72. The Visitor – $15,085 ($10,313,889 total)
74. Encounters at the End of the World – $13,157 ($923,599 total)
83. Mongol – $8,395 ($6,286,024 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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
• Frozen River: Actress (Melissa Leo), Original Screenplay
• 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
• Tropic Thunder: Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.)
• Trouble the Water: Documentary Feature
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz) [O]
• 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 Aug. 29-31, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $7,970,162 ($272,169,924 total) {week 8}
7. Seabiscuit – $6,517,785 ($102,102,670 total) {week 6}
15. Finding Nemo – $1,536,533 ($331,921,877 total) {week 14}
17. Whale Rider – $1,103,454 ($16,492,025 total) {week 13}
18. Dirty Pretty Things – $1,076,782 ($4,337,684 total) {week 7}
20. American Splendor – $834,561 ($1,772,289 total) {week 3}
23. Thirteen – $616,844 ($837,271 total) {week 2}
30. Winged Migration – $353,822 ($9,020,139 total) {week 20}
50. Spellbound – $81,020 ($5,363,651 total) {week 18}
55. Capturing the Friedmans – $45,393 ($2,943,376 total) {week 14}
56. Spirited Away – $38,425 ($10,045,816 total) {week 40}
61. The Weather Underground – $30,584 ($313,762 total) {week 13}
67. Nowhere in Africa – $16,289 ($6,068,011 total) {week 26}
74. Chicago – $11,667 ($170,681,308 total) {week 36}
80. City of God – $8,350 ($4,589,066 total) {week 33}
92. The Man Without a Past – $4,298 ($915,516 total) {week 22}
130. Bowling for Columbine – $823 ($21,573,866 total) {week 47}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $10,494,708 ($358,379,635 total)
7. Seabiscuit – $8,582,291 ($134,443,648 total)
15. Finding Nemo – $2,023,229 ($437,057,994 total)
17. Whale Rider – $1,452,973 ($21,715,867 total)
18. Dirty Pretty Things – $1,417,852 ($5,711,644 total)
20. American Splendor – $1,098,908 ($2,333,661 total)
23. Thirteen – $812,229 ($1,102,476 total)
30. Winged Migration – $465,895 ($11,877,264 total)
50. Spellbound – $106,683 ($7,062,585 total)
55. Capturing the Friedmans – $59,771 ($3,875,689 total)
56. Spirited Away – $50,596 ($13,227,824 total)
61. The Weather Underground – $40,271 ($413,146 total)
67. Nowhere in Africa – $21,449 ($7,990,051 total)
74. Chicago – $15,363 ($224,744,542 total)
80. City of God – $10,995 ($6,042,651 total)
92. The Man Without a Past – $5,659 ($1,205,505 total)
130. Bowling for Columbine – $1,084 ($28,407,379 total)

Oscar Details:

• American Splendor: Adapted Screenplay
• 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 Man Without a Past: Foreign Language Film
• 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
• Seabiscuit: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• Spellbound: Documentary Feature
• Spirited Away: Animated Feature [O]
• Thirteen: Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter)
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature
• Whale Rider: Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
• Winged Migration: Documentary Feature

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 28-30, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

3. Saving Private Ryan – $8,092,750 ($155,289,398 total) {week 6}
12. Armageddon – $2,305,833 ($188,540,431 total) {week 9}
15. The Mask of Zorro – $1,718,086 ($85,203,939 total) {week 7}
999. Titanic – $335,704 ($600,374,192 total) {week 37}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Saving Private Ryan – $13,700,732 ($262,899,322 total)
12. Armageddon – $3,903,692 ($319,192,116 total)
15. The Mask of Zorro – $2,908,657 ($144,247,180 total)
999. Titanic – $568,335 ($1,016,411,745 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
• 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]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 27-29, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Fugitive – $14,501,865 ($111,203,521 total) {week 4}
6. Jurassic Park – $2,923,310 ($311,146,090 total) {week 12}
8. In the Line of Fire – $2,609,808 ($93,706,011 total) {week 8}
10. Sleepless in Seattle – $2,052,800 ($109,188,722 total) {week 10}
11. The Firm – $1,916,695 ($146,861,178 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Fugitive – $27,812,756 ($213,274,386 total)
6. Jurassic Park – $5,606,541 ($596,739,119 total)
8. In the Line of Fire – $5,005,284 ($179,716,359 total)
10. Sleepless in Seattle – $3,937,013 ($209,410,254 total)
11. The Firm – $3,675,980 ($281,661,293 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Firm: Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter), Original Score
• The Fugitive: Picture, Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones) [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects
• In the Line of Fire: Supporting Actor (John Malkovich), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Sleepless in Seattle: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“A Wink and a Smile”)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 26-28, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

4. Die Hard – $3,668,253 ($52,000,170 total) {week 7}
6. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $2,980,229 ($124,611,761 total) {week 10}
8. Married to the Mob – $2,401,043 ($7,476,923 total) {week 2}
11. Coming to America – $1,848,669 ($114,263,876 total) {week 9}
13. Tucker The Man and His Dreams – $1,833,290 ($11,297,075 total) {week 3}
14. Big – $1,504,735 ($94,591,026 total) {week 13}
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $561,631 ($2,088,435 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Die Hard – $7,086,601 ($100,457,749 total)
6. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $5,757,425 ($240,734,156 total)
8. Married to the Mob – $4,638,511 ($14,444,469 total)
11. Coming to America – $3,571,395 ($220,743,352 total)
13. Tucker The Man and His Dreams – $3,541,684 ($21,824,520 total)
14. Big – $2,906,958 ($182,737,895 total)
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $1,085,000 ($4,034,592 total)

Oscar Details:

• Big: Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay
• Coming to America: Costume Design, Makeup
• Die Hard: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• The Last Temptation of Christ: Director
• Married to the Mob: Supporting Actor (Dean Stockwell)
• Tucker The Man and His Dreams: Supporting Actor (Martin Landau), Art Direction, Costume Design
• 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 Sepp. 2-4, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

5. Return of the Jedi – $3,509,131 ($232,256,663 total) {week 15}
7. Flashdance – $2,144,957 ($81,493,245 total) {week 21}
8. Trading Places – $2,066,175 ($80,625,915 total) {week 13}
10. WarGames – $1,754,088 ($68,221,054 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Return of the Jedi – $8,845,238 ($585,434,255 total)
7. Flashdance – $5,406,654 ($205,414,719 total)
8. Trading Places – $5,208,073 ($203,228,497 total)
10. WarGames – $4,421,415 ($171,960,371 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