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

Herb & Dorothy 50×50 (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Documentary Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 19-21, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

9. The Dark Knight – $2,915,174 ($521,890,027 total) {week 10}
11. Tropic Thunder – $2,556,241 ($106,805,722 total) {week 6}
14. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $951,512 ($19,394,888 total) {week 6}
26. WALL-E – $310,469 ($220,503,606 total) {week 13}
29. Kung Fu Panda – $248,524 ($214,949,523 total) {week 16}
32. The Duchess – $190,426 ($190,426 total) {week 1}
37. Frozen River – $133,494 ($1,760,310 total) {week 8}
39. Man on Wire – $119,484 ($2,232,828 total) {week 9}
43. Iron Man – $59,037 ($318,219,154 total) {week 21}
51. Trouble the Water – $37,375 ($238,591 total) {week 5}
78. The Visitor – $9,166 ($9,402,630 total) {week 24}
89. Encounters at the End of the World – $6,983 ($900,034 total) {week 15}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

9. The Dark Knight – $3,223,744 ($577,131,868 total)
11. Tropic Thunder – $2,826,818 ($118,111,063 total)
14. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $1,052,229 ($21,447,829 total)
26. WALL-E – $343,332 ($243,843,821 total)
29. Kung Fu Panda – $274,830 ($237,701,840 total)
32. The Duchess – $210,583 ($210,583 total)
37. Frozen River – $147,624 ($1,946,638 total)
39. Man on Wire – $132,131 ($2,469,172 total)
43. Iron Man – $65,286 ($351,902,518 total)
51. Trouble the Water – $41,331 ($263,846 total)
78. The Visitor – $10,136 ($10,397,894 total)
89. Encounters at the End of the World – $7,722 ($995,302 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Dark Knight: Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger) [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• The Duchess: Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
• Encounters at the End of the World: Documentary Feature
• Frozen River: Actress (Melissa Leo), Original Screenplay
• 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

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 19-21, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

9. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $3,480,968 ($292,495,912 total) {week 11}
10. Lost in Translation – $2,622,737 ($3,957,028 total) {week 2}
13. Seabiscuit – $1,622,465 ($116,026,970 total) {week 9}
20. American Splendor – $510,330 ($4,640,236 total) {week 6}
21. Thirteen – $467,086 ($3,212,979 total) {week 5}
23. Finding Nemo – $419,862 ($335,258,448 total) {week 17}
24. Whale Rider – $390,728 ($19,696,877 total) {week 16}
28. Dirty Pretty Things – $297,813 ($6,994,938 total) {week 10}
43. Winged Migration – $117,218 ($10,036,406 total) {week 23}
64. Spellbound – $32,439 ($5,580,404 total) {week 21}
70. The Barbarian Invasions – $21,352 ($4,958,643 total) {week 20}
79. Capturing the Friedmans – $16,122 ($3,082,536 total) {week 17}
81. The Weather Underground – $15,538 ($375,676 total) {week 16}
89. City of God – $13,798 ($4,640,944 total) {week 36}
99. Nowhere in Africa – $7,341 ($6,146,263 total) {week 29}
147. The Man Without a Past – $266 ($921,547 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

9. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $4,583,563 ($385,143,871 total)
10. Lost in Translation – $3,453,488 ($5,210,415 total)
13. Seabiscuit – $2,136,380 ($152,778,465 total)
20. American Splendor – $671,977 ($6,110,029 total)
21. Thirteen – $615,035 ($4,230,689 total)
23. Finding Nemo – $552,853 ($441,451,422 total)
24. Whale Rider – $514,491 ($25,935,855 total)
28. Dirty Pretty Things – $392,145 ($9,210,582 total)
43. Winged Migration – $154,347 ($13,215,433 total)
64. Spellbound – $42,714 ($7,347,995 total)
70. The Barbarian Invasions – $28,115 ($6,529,291 total)
79. Capturing the Friedmans – $21,229 ($4,058,928 total)
81. The Weather Underground – $20,460 ($494,671 total)
89. City of God – $18,169 ($6,110,961 total)
99. Nowhere in Africa – $9,666 ($8,093,089 total)
147. The Man Without a Past – $350 ($1,213,447 total)

Oscar Details:

• American Splendor: Adapted Screenplay
• The Barbarian Invasions: Original Screenplay, Foreign Language Film [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. 18-20, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

2. One True Thing – $6,606,455 ($6,606,455 total) {week 1}
6. Saving Private Ryan – $3,405,161 ($178,091,556 total) {week 9}
9. Armageddon – $1,254,927 ($195,835,936 total) {week 12}
999. Titanic – $14,003 ($600,674,693 total) {week 40}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. One True Thing – $11,184,489 ($11,184,489 total)
6. Saving Private Ryan – $5,764,814 ($301,502,549 total)
9. Armageddon – $2,124,546 ($331,543,141 total)
999. Titanic – $23,707 ($1,016,920,482 total)

Oscar Details:

• Armageddon: Original Song (“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”), Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• One True Thing: Actress (Meryl Streep)
• 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. 17-19, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Fugitive – $7,141,890 ($154,293,908 total) {week 7}
6. The Age of Innocence – $2,317,289 ($2,317,289 total) {week 1}
7. Jurassic Park – $2,070,255 ($322,104,145 total) {week 15}
8. Sleepless in Seattle – $1,428,228 ($116,856,908 total) {week 13}
15. The Firm – $1,011,099 ($153,000,724 total) {week 12}
16. In the Line of Fire – $975,678 ($101,315,728 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Fugitive – $13,697,248 ($295,916,336 total)
6. The Age of Innocence – $4,444,269 ($4,444,269 total)
7. Jurassic Park – $3,970,489 ($617,755,293 total)
8. Sleepless in Seattle – $2,739,162 ($224,116,872 total)
15. The Firm – $1,939,161 ($293,436,171 total)
16. In the Line of Fire – $1,871,228 ($194,310,841 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Age of Innocence: Supporting Actress (Winona Ryder), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
• 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. 16-18, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

2. Die Hard – $2,544,486 ($65,388,311 total) {week 10}
5. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $2,087,303 ($135,939,312 total) {week 13}
9. Married to the Mob – $1,398,630 ($16,254,627 total) {week 5}
10. Coming to America – $1,304,208 ($120,794,325 total) {week 12}
11. Big – $1,302,410 ($101,278,722 total) {week 16}
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $523,568 ($5,401,802 total) {week 6}
999. Running on Empty – $203,998 ($514,878 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Die Hard – $4,915,625 ($126,321,944 total)
5. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $4,032,405 ($262,617,552 total)
9. Married to the Mob – $2,701,976 ($31,401,883 total)
10. Coming to America – $2,519,565 ($233,359,353 total)
11. Big – $2,516,091 ($195,657,677 total)
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $1,011,467 ($10,435,598 total)
999. Running on Empty – $394,098 ($994,679 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
• 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. 23-25, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

6. Flashdance – $1,186,594 ($87,014,585 total) {week 24}
7. Zelig – $1,148,576 ($6,763,952 total) {week 11}
9. Return of the Jedi – $1,093,199 ($237,883,852 total) {week 18}
10. Trading Places – $1,038,479 ($85,285,760 total) {week 16}
13. WarGames – $710,786 ($71,654,691 total) {week 17}
999. Educating Rita – $73,518 ($73,518 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Flashdance – $2,990,970 ($219,332,002 total)
7. Zelig – $2,895,141 ($17,049,454 total)
9. Return of the Jedi – $2,755,556 ($599,618,344 total)
10. Trading Places – $2,617,626 ($214,974,265 total)
13. WarGames – $1,791,632 ($180,615,316 total)
999. Educating Rita – $185,312 ($185,312 total)

Oscar Details:

• Educating Rita: Actor (Michael Caine), Actress (Julie Walters), Adapted Screenplay
• 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
• Zelig: Cinematography, Costume Design