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

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

Inequality for All (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Documentary Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 1-3, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Dark Knight – $42,664,219 ($393,751,065 total) {week 3}
8. WALL-E – $4,603,179 ($204,078,076 total) {week 6}
11. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $2,488,525 ($71,234,335 total) {week 4}
12. Wanted – $1,239,980 ($131,320,095 total) {week 6}
15. Kung Fu Panda – $626,363 ($210,480,901 total) {week 9}
16. Iron Man – $580,179 ($315,687,768 total) {week 14}
29. Mongol – $131,388 ($5,398,009 total) {week 9}
32. The Visitor – $80,606 ($9,148,645 total) {week 17}
33. Frozen River – $70,234 ($70,234 total) {week 1}
38. Man on Wire – $48,477 ($133,737 total) {week 2}
39. Encounters at the End of the World – $46,301 ($659,666 total) {week 8}
94. The Counterfeiters – $3,259 ($5,476,356 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Dark Knight – $47,180,209 ($435,429,451 total)
8. WALL-E – $5,090,424 ($225,679,655 total)
11. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $2,751,934 ($78,774,460 total)
12. Wanted – $1,371,231 ($145,220,272 total)
15. Kung Fu Panda – $692,663 ($232,760,216 total)
16. Iron Man – $641,591 ($349,103,186 total)
29. Mongol – $145,295 ($5,969,386 total)
32. The Visitor – $89,138 ($10,117,025 total)
33. Frozen River – $77,668 ($77,668 total)
38. Man on Wire – $53,608 ($147,893 total)
39. Encounters at the End of the World – $51,202 ($729,491 total)
94. The Counterfeiters – $3,604 ($6,056,026 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
• 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
• 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. 1-3, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $18,844,044 ($209,531,292 total) {week 4}
4. Seabiscuit – $17,636,985 ($49,223,245 total) {week 2}
7. Finding Nemo – $3,860,462 ($320,020,760 total) {week 10}
15. Whale Rider – $1,108,798 ($11,303,967 total) {week 9}
24. Dirty Pretty Things – $363,218 ($680,765 total) {week 3}
26. Winged Migration – $332,130 ($6,507,010 total) {week 16}
28. Spellbound – $175,157 ($4,753,691 total) {week 14}
35. Capturing the Friedmans – $103,072 ($2,527,366 total) {week 10}
43. Chicago – $73,051 ($170,449,649 total) {week 32}
52. Nowhere in Africa – $40,272 ($5,888,057 total) {week 22}
55. The Weather Underground – $32,232 ($179,593 total) {week 9}
62. The Barbarian Invasions – $20,216 ($4,412,640 total) {week 13}
70. City of God – $14,483 ($4,518,707 total) {week 29}
80. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $7,550 ($339,758,803 total) {week 33}
84. Balseros – $6,014 ($16,783 total) {week 2}
94. Bowling for Columbine – $3,221 ($21,553,439 total) {week 43}
109. The Man Without a Past – $2,054 ($878,765 total) {week 18}
115. The Quiet American – $1,727 ($12,987,647 total) {week 37}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $24,812,887 ($275,900,242 total)
4. Seabiscuit – $23,223,493 ($64,814,687 total)
7. Finding Nemo – $5,083,262 ($421,387,203 total)
15. Whale Rider – $1,460,009 ($14,884,494 total)
24. Dirty Pretty Things – $478,267 ($896,397 total)
26. Winged Migration – $437,332 ($8,568,103 total)
28. Spellbound – $230,638 ($6,259,421 total)
35. Capturing the Friedmans – $135,720 ($3,327,908 total)
43. Chicago – $96,190 ($224,439,505 total)
52. Nowhere in Africa – $53,028 ($7,753,097 total)
55. The Weather Underground – $42,441 ($236,479 total)
62. The Barbarian Invasions – $26,619 ($5,810,342 total)
70. City of God – $19,070 ($5,950,006 total)
80. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $9,941 ($447,377,263 total)
84. Balseros – $7,919 ($22,099 total)
94. Bowling for Columbine – $4,241 ($28,380,482 total)
109. The Man Without a Past – $2,705 ($1,157,113 total)
115. The Quiet American – $2,274 ($17,101,479 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
• 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
• Spellbound: Documentary Feature
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature
• Whale Rider: Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
• Winged Migration: Documentary Feature

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 31-Aug. 2, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

1. Saving Private Ryan – $23,601,801 ($73,362,161 total) {week 2}
6. The Mask of Zorro – $8,320,932 ($61,953,317 total) {week 3}
8. Armageddon – $7,561,217 ($163,139,999 total) {week 5}
14. Mulan – $1,581,005 ($111,506,109 total) {week 7}
15. Titanic – $1,168,551 ($595,467,018 total) {week 33}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Saving Private Ryan – $39,956,994 ($124,199,479 total)
6. The Mask of Zorro – $14,087,036 ($104,884,720 total)
8. Armageddon – $12,800,866 ($276,190,105 total)
14. Mulan – $2,676,584 ($188,775,801 total)
15. Titanic – $1,978,314 ($1,008,104,077 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]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 30-Aug. 1, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

2. In the Line of Fire – $8,006,617 ($67,751,737 total) {week 4}
3. The Firm – $7,076,680 ($125,004,859 total) {week 5}
5. Jurassic Park – $6,883,315 ($283,094,155 total) {week 8}
7. Poetic Justice – $5,021,226 ($20,923,955 total) {week 2}
8. Sleepless in Seattle – $4,898,880 ($90,118,893 total) {week 6}
17. Cliffhanger – $888,440 ($78,299,666 total) {week 10}
999. Scent of a Woman – $29,625 ($63,000,644 total) {week 32}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. In the Line of Fire – $15,355,686 ($129,939,322 total)
3. The Firm – $13,572,183 ($239,743,618 total)
5. Jurassic Park – $13,201,334 ($542,939,032 total)
7. Poetic Justice – $9,630,081 ($40,129,518 total)
8. Sleepless in Seattle – $9,395,437 ($172,836,717 total)
17. Cliffhanger – $1,703,916 ($150,168,925 total)
999. Scent of a Woman – $56,817 ($120,827,322 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”)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 29-31, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $6,556,367 ($95,308,294 total) {week 6}
3. Coming to America – $6,430,730 ($92,011,700 total) {week 5}
4. Die Hard – $6,107,608 ($20,140,735 total) {week 3}
8. Big – $3,152,237 ($80,460,648 total) {week 9}
13. Bull Durham – $1,800,644 ($39,389,305 total) {week 7}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $12,666,072 ($184,123,566 total)
3. Coming to America – $12,423,357 ($177,754,963 total)
4. Die Hard – $11,799,126 ($38,909,352 total)
8. Big – $6,089,723 ($155,439,792 total)
13. Bull Durham – $3,478,616 ($76,095,154 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 Aug. 5-7, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

2. Return of the Jedi – $4,499,005 ($209,656,205 total) {week 11}
7. Trading Places – $2,659,513 ($68,487,723 total) {week 9}
11. WarGames – $1,797,728 ($58,245,219 total) {week 10}
12. Flashdance – $1,468,485 ($71,216,567 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Return of the Jedi – $11,340,349 ($528,466,752 total)
7. Trading Places – $6,703,661 ($172,632,546 total)
11. WarGames – $4,531,416 ($146,814,933 total)
12. Flashdance – $3,701,515 ($179,510,966 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