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

12 Years a Slave (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director (Steve McQueen), Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Supporting Actor (Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch), Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong’o), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Mixing.

All Is Lost (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actor (Robert Redford).

American Promise (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Documentary Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 17-19, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

13. The Duchess – $2,121,588 ($9,128,899 total) {week 5}
19. Rachel Getting Married – $657,646 ($1,693,047 total) {week 3}
20. The Dark Knight – $412,148 ($527,356,352 total) {week 14}
23. WALL-E – $342,730 ($222,104,566 total) {week 17}
29. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $182,297 ($21,754,183 total) {week 10}
35. Happy-Go-Lucky – $107,947 ($217,388 total) {week 2}
39. Tropic Thunder – $89,265 ($109,876,133 total) {week 10}
54. Man on Wire – $36,456 ($2,667,120 total) {week 13}
57. Frozen River – $34,514 ($2,112,984 total) {week 12}
66. Trouble the Water – $17,071 ($378,388 total) {week 9}
90. Encounters at the End of the World – $3,777 ($932,590 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

13. The Duchess – $2,346,157 ($10,095,189 total)
19. Rachel Getting Married – $727,258 ($1,872,255 total)
20. The Dark Knight – $455,774 ($583,176,802 total)
23. WALL-E – $379,008 ($245,614,242 total)
29. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $201,593 ($24,056,854 total)
35. Happy-Go-Lucky – $119,373 ($240,398 total)
39. Tropic Thunder – $98,714 ($121,506,476 total)
54. Man on Wire – $40,315 ($2,949,434 total)
57. Frozen River – $38,167 ($2,336,642 total)
66. Trouble the Water – $18,878 ($418,440 total)
90. Encounters at the End of the World – $4,177 ($1,031,304 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
• Happy-Go-Lucky: Original Screenplay
• Man on Wire: Documentary Feature [O]
• Rachel Getting Married: Actress (Anne Hathaway)
• Tropic Thunder: Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.)
• Trouble the Water: Documentary Feature
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz) [O]
• WALL-E: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Down to Earth”), Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 17-19, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

5. Mystic River – $10,445,547 ($13,532,943 total) {week 2}
11. Lost in Translation – $1,903,194 ($20,964,129 total) {week 6}
16. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $653,715 ($300,557,571 total) {week 15}
18. Finding Nemo – $511,514 ($338,163,432 total) {week 21}
23. Seabiscuit – $220,215 ($119,091,925 total) {week 13}
44. Whale Rider – $60,904 ($20,596,685 total) {week 20}
47. Thirteen – $57,819 ($4,428,906 total) {week 9}
48. Dirty Pretty Things – $57,199 ($7,803,048 total) {week 14}
52. American Splendor – $54,973 ($5,688,932 total) {week 10}
56. Pieces of April – $48,422 ($48,422 total) {week 1}
65. Winged Migration – $29,869 ($10,499,535 total) {week 27}
89. The Weather Underground – $7,846 ($446,554 total) {week 20}
90. Spellbound – $7,756 ($5,691,538 total) {week 25}
93. City of God – $7,568 ($4,676,802 total) {week 40}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Mystic River – $13,754,170 ($17,819,497 total)
11. Lost in Translation – $2,506,030 ($27,604,508 total)
16. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $860,779 ($395,759,057 total)
18. Finding Nemo – $673,536 ($445,276,559 total)
23. Seabiscuit – $289,968 ($156,814,243 total)
44. Whale Rider – $80,195 ($27,120,676 total)
47. Thirteen – $76,133 ($5,831,760 total)
48. Dirty Pretty Things – $75,317 ($10,274,660 total)
52. American Splendor – $72,386 ($7,490,899 total)
56. Pieces of April – $63,760 ($63,760 total)
65. Winged Migration – $39,330 ($13,825,258 total)
89. The Weather Underground – $10,331 ($588,000 total)
90. Spellbound – $10,213 ($7,494,330 total)
93. City of God – $9,965 ($6,158,177 total)

Oscar Details:

• American Splendor: Adapted Screenplay
• 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]
• Mystic River: Picture, Director, Actor (Sean Penn) [O], Supporting Actor (Tim Robbins) [O], Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden), Adapted Screenplay
• Pieces of April: Supporting Actress (Patricia Clarkson)
• 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 Oct. 16-18, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

5. Beloved – $8,165,551 ($8,165,551 total) {week 1}
6. What Dreams May Come – $6,403,270 ($41,145,926 total) {week 3}
12. Saving Private Ryan – $903,995 ($187,722,738 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Beloved – $13,823,982 ($13,823,982 total)
6. What Dreams May Come – $10,840,504 ($69,658,561 total)
12. Saving Private Ryan – $1,530,431 ($317,807,791 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beloved: Costume Design
• 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]
• What Dreams May Come: Art Direction, Visual Effects [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 15-17, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

8. The Age of Innocence – $2,652,151 ($22,288,476 total) {week 5}
9. The Fugitive – $2,021,360 ($172,494,360 total) {week 11}
19. Jurassic Park – $655,050 ($327,871,950 total) {week 19}
999. Farewell My Concubine – $69,408 ($69,408 total) {week 1}
999. Fearless – $144,044 ($144,044 total) {week 1}
999. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $191,232 ($191,232 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. The Age of Innocence – $5,086,492 ($42,746,497 total)
9. The Fugitive – $3,876,715 ($330,822,517 total)
19. Jurassic Park – $1,256,304 ($628,817,218 total)
999. Farewell My Concubine – $133,116 ($133,116 total)
999. Fearless – $276,258 ($276,258 total)
999. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $366,759 ($366,759 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Age of Innocence: Supporting Actress (Winona Ryder), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
• Farewell My Concubine: Cinematography, Foreign Language Film
• Fearless: Supporting Actress (Rosie Perez)
• The Fugitive: Picture, Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones) [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Nightmare Before Christmas: Visual Effects

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 14-16, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Accused – $4,316,369 ($4,316,369 total) {week 1}
4. Gorillas in the Mist – $2,631,125 ($12,660,068 total) {week 4}
7. Die Hard – $1,062,121 ($74,138,586 total) {week 14}
8. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $1,044,924 ($143,273,001 total) {week 17}
10. Big – $903,280 ($106,684,340 total) {week 20}
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $200,022 ($7,379,396 total) {week 10}
999. Running on Empty – $354,103 ($2,215,874 total) {week 6}
999. Salaam Bombay! – $14,994 ($32,034 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Accused – $8,338,679 ($8,338,679 total)
4. Gorillas in the Mist – $5,083,001 ($24,457,650 total)
7. Die Hard – $2,051,883 ($143,226,368 total)
8. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $2,018,661 ($276,785,311 total)
10. Big – $1,745,023 ($206,100,647 total)
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $386,417 ($14,256,059 total)
999. Running on Empty – $684,082 ($4,280,788 total)
999. Salaam Bombay! – $28,967 ($61,886 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Accused: Actress (Jodie Foster) [O]
• Big: Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay
• Die Hard: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• Gorillas in the Mist: Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Sound
• The Last Temptation of Christ: Director
• Running on Empty: Supporting Actor (River Phoenix), Original Screenplay
• Salaam Bombay!: Foreign Language Film
• 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 Oct. 21-23, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

3. The Big Chill – $3,194,164 ($17,798,023 total) {week 4}
4. Under Fire – $1,837,768 ($1,837,768 total) {week 1}
7. The Right Stuff – $1,601,167 ($1,601,167 total) {week 1}
11. Return of the Jedi – $503,212 ($241,664,222 total) {week 22}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. The Big Chill – $8,051,321 ($44,862,318 total)
4. Under Fire – $4,632,342 ($4,632,342 total)
7. The Right Stuff – $4,035,957 ($4,035,957 total)
11. Return of the Jedi – $1,268,414 ($609,147,277 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Big Chill: Picture, Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Screenplay
• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• The Right Stuff: Picture, Supporting Actor (Sam Shepard), Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
• Under Fire: Original Score