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

Salinger (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Documentary Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 12-14, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

5. Tropic Thunder – $4,183,405 ($102,974,069 total) {week 5}
7. The Dark Knight – $4,128,153 ($517,792,764 total) {week 9}
15. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $1,264,481 ($18,020,252 total) {week 5}
22. WALL-E – $540,926 ($220,090,317 total) {week 12}
26. Kung Fu Panda – $336,219 ($214,637,586 total) {week 15}
33. Frozen River – $162,044 ($1,409,327 total) {week 7}
34. Man on Wire – $157,692 ($2,050,689 total) {week 8}
37. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $103,830 ($75,754,670 total) {week 10}
39. Iron Man – $94,816 ($318,134,740 total) {week 20}
41. Wanted – $82,485 ($134,294,280 total) {week 12}
55. Trouble the Water – $24,691 ($187,638 total) {week 4}
74. Encounters at the End of the World – $13,331 ($884,681 total) {week 14}
75. The Visitor – $12,766 ($9,384,279 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Tropic Thunder – $4,626,217 ($113,873,831 total)
7. The Dark Knight – $4,565,116 ($572,600,912 total)
15. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $1,398,326 ($19,927,688 total)
22. WALL-E – $598,183 ($243,386,785 total)
26. Kung Fu Panda – $371,808 ($237,356,885 total)
33. Frozen River – $179,196 ($1,558,504 total)
34. Man on Wire – $174,384 ($2,267,754 total)
37. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $114,820 ($83,773,270 total)
39. Iron Man – $104,852 ($351,809,169 total)
41. Wanted – $91,216 ($148,509,273 total)
55. Trouble the Water – $27,305 ($207,499 total)
74. Encounters at the End of the World – $14,742 ($978,324 total)
75. The Visitor – $14,117 ($10,377,601 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]
• 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 Sep. 12-14, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $4,506,400 ($287,884,372 total) {week 10}
8. Seabiscuit – $2,754,615 ($113,606,750 total) {week 8}
15. Lost in Translation – $925,087 ($925,087 total) {week 1}
16. American Splendor – $840,774 ($3,871,437 total) {week 5}
19. Finding Nemo – $636,935 ($334,702,727 total) {week 16}
20. Whale Rider – $633,318 ($19,101,182 total) {week 15}
24. Thirteen – $482,695 ($2,572,863 total) {week 4}
25. Dirty Pretty Things – $444,286 ($6,508,955 total) {week 9}
34. Winged Migration – $183,623 ($9,824,964 total) {week 22}
59. Spellbound – $40,424 ($5,530,123 total) {week 20}
61. Capturing the Friedmans – $31,649 ($3,051,619 total) {week 16}
74. Nowhere in Africa – $19,410 ($6,126,600 total) {week 28}
90. City of God – $9,606 ($4,621,998 total) {week 35}
91. The Weather Underground – $9,042 ($356,817 total) {week 15}
140. The Man Without a Past – $1,078 ($919,988 total) {week 24}
151. Bowling for Columbine – $306 ($21,575,958 total) {week 49}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $5,933,800 ($379,071,627 total)
8. Seabiscuit – $3,627,138 ($149,591,641 total)
15. Lost in Translation – $1,218,108 ($1,218,108 total)
16. American Splendor – $1,107,089 ($5,097,713 total)
19. Finding Nemo – $838,684 ($440,719,677 total)
20. Whale Rider – $833,921 ($25,151,473 total)
24. Thirteen – $635,588 ($3,387,816 total)
25. Dirty Pretty Things – $585,013 ($8,570,664 total)
34. Winged Migration – $241,786 ($12,937,017 total)
59. Spellbound – $53,228 ($7,281,787 total)
61. Capturing the Friedmans – $41,674 ($4,018,218 total)
74. Nowhere in Africa – $25,558 ($8,067,198 total)
90. City of God – $12,649 ($6,086,014 total)
91. The Weather Underground – $11,906 ($469,839 total)
140. The Man Without a Past – $1,419 ($1,211,394 total)
151. Bowling for Columbine – $403 ($28,410,134 total)

Oscar Details:

• American Splendor: Adapted Screenplay
• Bowling for Columbine: Documentary Feature [O]
• Capturing the Friedmans: Documentary Feature
• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• Dirty Pretty Things: Original Screenplay
• Finding Nemo: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Editing
• Lost in Translation: Picture, Director, Actor (Bill Murray), Original Screenplay [O]
• 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
• 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 Sep. 11-13, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

4. Saving Private Ryan – $4,504,502 ($173,076,992 total) {week 8}
9. Armageddon – $1,581,421 ($194,125,324 total) {week 11}
15. The Mask of Zorro – $1,003,555 ($89,228,663 total) {week 9}
999. Titanic – $57,308 ($600,638,309 total) {week 39}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Saving Private Ryan – $7,625,959 ($293,013,074 total)
9. Armageddon – $2,677,288 ($328,647,137 total)
15. The Mask of Zorro – $1,698,982 ($151,060,892 total)
999. Titanic – $97,020 ($1,016,858,886 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 Sep. 10-12, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Fugitive – $8,316,440 ($144,536,899 total) {week 6}
6. Jurassic Park – $2,104,400 ($319,344,605 total) {week 14}
8. In the Line of Fire – $1,611,515 ($100,013,224 total) {week 10}
9. Sleepless in Seattle – $1,579,824 ($114,937,423 total) {week 12}
15. The Firm – $1,126,548 ($151,561,026 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Fugitive – $15,949,887 ($277,203,618 total)
6. Jurassic Park – $4,035,975 ($612,462,841 total)
8. In the Line of Fire – $3,090,683 ($191,812,802 total)
9. Sleepless in Seattle – $3,029,904 ($220,435,541 total)
15. The Firm – $2,160,578 ($290,675,011 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 Sep. 9-11, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

4. Die Hard – $2,608,219 ($61,916,243 total) {week 9}
8. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $1,883,805 ($133,157,333 total) {week 12}
9. Married to the Mob – $1,613,572 ($14,276,054 total) {week 4}
10. Big – $1,326,258 ($99,551,736 total) {week 15}
11. Coming to America – $1,287,603 ($119,055,052 total) {week 11}
12. Tucker The Man and His Dreams – $1,029,398 ($15,778,652 total) {week 5}
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $612,253 ($4,567,895 total) {week 5}
999. Running on Empty – $215,157 ($215,157 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Die Hard – $5,038,749 ($119,614,348 total)
8. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $3,639,273 ($257,243,120 total)
9. Married to the Mob – $3,117,217 ($27,579,530 total)
10. Big – $2,562,163 ($192,321,359 total)
11. Coming to America – $2,487,486 ($229,999,298 total)
12. Tucker The Man and His Dreams – $1,988,667 ($30,482,359 total)
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $1,182,795 ($8,824,595 total)
999. Running on Empty – $415,656 ($415,656 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)
• Running on Empty: Supporting Actor (River Phoenix), Original Screenplay
• 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 Sep. 16-18, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

7. Flashdance – $1,365,163 ($85,341,609 total) {week 23}
8. Return of the Jedi – $1,346,372 ($236,382,169 total) {week 17}
9. Trading Places – $1,174,474 ($83,879,023 total) {week 15}
11. WarGames – $822,012 ($70,675,750 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Flashdance – $3,441,078 ($215,115,040 total)
8. Return of the Jedi – $3,393,712 ($595,833,150 total)
9. Trading Places – $2,960,420 ($211,428,394 total)
11. WarGames – $2,071,992 ($178,147,763 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