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

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing.

Generation War (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Foreign Language Film.

Like Father, Like Son (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Foreign Language Film.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 16-18, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

8. Defiance – $8,911,827 ($9,252,455 total) {week 3}
9. The Blind Side – $5,557,274 ($226,766,539 total) {week 9}
10. Slumdog Millionaire – $5,849,157 ($42,686,362 total) {week 10}
11. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $5,576,862 ($102,601,599 total) {week 4}
17. Revolutionary Road – $1,783,093 ($5,733,271 total) {week 4}
19. The Wrestler – $1,702,695 ($5,014,663 total) {week 5}
20. The Reader – $1,285,036 ($7,575,034 total) {week 6}
21. Doubt – $1,231,332 ($25,263,319 total) {week 6}
23. Milk – $778,950 ($20,380,174 total) {week 8}
25. Frost/Nixon – $669,425 ($8,628,586 total) {week 7}
29. Bolt – $348,226 ($112,440,210 total) {week 9}
31. Australia – $295,572 ($48,333,500 total) {week 8}
36. Rachel Getting Married – $102,683 ($10,734,305 total) {week 16}
37. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $84,745 ($22,998,560 total) {week 23}
38. Waltz with Bashir – $78,607 ($532,125 total) {week 4}
41. Happy-Go-Lucky – $60,032 ($3,482,693 total) {week 15}
63. The Dark Knight – $9,611 ($531,037,410 total) {week 27}
76. The Betrayal – $1,915 ($14,292 total) {week 9}
87. Trouble the Water – $457 ($491,483 total) {week 22}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. Defiance – $9,434,654 ($9,795,266 total)
9. The Blind Side – $5,883,301 ($240,070,176 total)
10. Slumdog Millionaire – $6,192,308 ($45,190,629 total)
11. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $5,904,038 ($108,620,893 total)
17. Revolutionary Road – $1,887,701 ($6,069,623 total)
19. The Wrestler – $1,802,586 ($5,308,857 total)
20. The Reader – $1,360,425 ($8,019,436 total)
21. Doubt – $1,303,570 ($26,745,434 total)
23. Milk – $824,648 ($21,575,811 total)
25. Frost/Nixon – $708,698 ($9,134,796 total)
29. Bolt – $368,655 ($119,036,702 total)
31. Australia – $312,912 ($51,169,065 total)
36. Rachel Getting Married – $108,707 ($11,364,051 total)
37. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $89,717 ($24,347,809 total)
38. Waltz with Bashir – $83,219 ($563,343 total)
41. Happy-Go-Lucky – $63,554 ($3,687,011 total)
63. The Dark Knight – $10,175 ($562,191,605 total)
76. The Betrayal – $2,027 ($15,130 total)
87. Trouble the Water – $484 ($520,317 total)

Oscar Details:

• Australia: Costume Design
• The Betrayal: Documentary Feature
• The Blind Side: Picture, Actress (Sandra Bullock) [O]
• Bolt: Animated Feature
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Picture, Director, Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actress (Taraji P. Henson), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound Mixing, Visual Effects [O]
• The Dark Knight: Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger) [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Defiance: Original Score
• Doubt: Actress (Meryl Streep), Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), Supporting Actress (Viola Davis), Adapted Screenplay
• Frost/Nixon: Picture, Director, Actor (Frank Langella), Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• Happy-Go-Lucky: Original Screenplay
• Milk: Picture, Director, Actor (Sean Penn) [O], Supporting Actor (Josh Brolin), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Costume Design
• Rachel Getting Married: Actress (Anne Hathaway)
• The Reader: Picture, Director, Actress (Kate Winslet) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography
• Revolutionary Road: Supporting Actor (Michael Shannon), Art Direction, Costume Design
• Slumdog Millionaire: Picture [O], Director [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Song (“Jai Ho”) [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing
• Trouble the Water: Documentary Feature
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz) [O]
• Waltz with Bashir: Foreign Language Film
• The Wrestler: Actor (Mickey Rourke), Supporting Actress (Marisa Tomei)

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 16-18, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

2. Big Fish – $10,306,947 ($37,858,198 total) {week 6}
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $10,219,470 ($326,812,102 total) {week 5}
6. Cold Mountain – $6,811,773 ($64,832,312 total) {week 4}
7. Something’s Gotta Give – $5,783,869 ($100,745,229 total) {week 6}
10. The Last Samurai – $3,122,326 ($101,998,497 total) {week 7}
16. Monster – $1,500,274 ($3,257,915 total) {week 4}
17. The Cooler – $1,119,031 ($3,539,969 total) {week 8}
18. 21 Grams – $1,070,924 ($10,726,989 total) {week 9}
19. House of Sand and Fog – $1,030,839 ($9,065,331 total) {week 5}
20. In America – $861,905 ($7,836,544 total) {week 8}
21. Lost in Translation – $763,034 ($33,583,791 total) {week 19}
22. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $479,019 ($84,726,035 total) {week 10}
23. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $451,089 ($1,853,916 total) {week 6}
26. Mystic River – $328,682 ($55,241,253 total) {week 15}
30. Brother Bear – $223,737 ($83,983,807 total) {week 13}
38. The Triplets of Belleville – $157,449 ($1,511,580 total) {week 8}
45. The Fog of War – $69,998 ($476,839 total) {week 5}
54. My Architect – $46,642 ($502,754 total) {week 10}
67. Pieces of April – $20,064 ($2,450,119 total) {week 14}
79. City of God – $5,202 ($4,086,355 total) {week 53}
85. Dirty Pretty Things – $3,457 ($8,088,816 total) {week 27}
101. The Weather Underground – $1,695 ($503,933 total) {week 33}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Big Fish – $25,494,442 ($93,643,019 total)
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $25,278,066 ($808,376,352 total)
6. Cold Mountain – $16,849,058 ($160,364,037 total)
7. Something’s Gotta Give – $14,306,517 ($249,195,364 total)
10. The Last Samurai – $7,723,137 ($252,295,348 total)
16. Monster – $3,710,958 ($8,058,519 total)
17. The Cooler – $2,767,946 ($8,756,185 total)
18. 21 Grams – $2,648,952 ($26,533,425 total)
19. House of Sand and Fog – $2,549,801 ($22,423,280 total)
20. In America – $2,131,939 ($19,383,850 total)
21. Lost in Translation – $1,887,380 ($83,070,187 total)
22. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $1,184,863 ($209,571,563 total)
23. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $1,115,778 ($4,585,699 total)
26. Mystic River – $813,002 ($136,640,358 total)
30. Brother Bear – $553,418 ($207,735,647 total)
38. The Triplets of Belleville – $389,453 ($3,738,924 total)
45. The Fog of War – $173,141 ($1,179,471 total)
54. My Architect – $115,370 ($1,243,572 total)
67. Pieces of April – $49,629 ($6,060,419 total)
79. City of God – $12,867 ($10,107,682 total)
85. Dirty Pretty Things – $8,551 ($20,007,850 total)
101. The Weather Underground – $4,193 ($1,246,488 total)

Oscar Details:

• 21 Grams: Actress (Naomi Watts), Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro)
• Big Fish: Original Score
• Brother Bear: Animated Feature
• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• Cold Mountain: Actor (Jude Law), Supporting Actress (Renee Zellweger) [O], Original Song (“Scarlet Tide”), Original Song (“You Will Be My Ain True Love”), Original Score, Editing, Cinematography
• The Cooler: Supporting Actor (Alec Baldwin)
• Dirty Pretty Things: Original Screenplay
• The Fog of War: Documentary Feature [O]
• Girl with a Pearl Earring: Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design
• House of Sand and Fog: Actor (Ben Kingsley), Supporting Actress (Shohreh Aghdashloo), Original Score
• In America: Supporting Actress (Samantha Morton), Supporting Actor (Djimon Hounsou), Original Screenplay
• The Last Samurai: Supporting Actor (Ken Watanabe), Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Picture [O], Director [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Song (“Into the West”) [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup [O], Sound Mixing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Lost in Translation: Picture, Director, Actor (Bill Murray), Original Screenplay [O]
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World: Picture, Director, Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Monster: Actress (Charlize Theron) [O]
• My Architect: Documentary Feature
• 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)
• Something’s Gotta Give: Actress (Diane Keaton)
• The Triplets of Belleville: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Belleville Rendez-vous”)
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 15-17, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

2. Patch Adams – $10,226,755 ($96,875,250 total) {week 4}
3. A Civil Action – $11,761,043 ($31,301,412 total) {week 4}
4. The Thin Red Line – $9,765,762 ($12,838,665 total) {week 4}
8. The Prince of Egypt – $4,651,352 ($80,973,733 total) {week 5}
10. Shakespeare in Love – $4,729,645 ($21,286,905 total) {week 6}
12. Mighty Joe Young – $4,565,278 ($40,358,246 total) {week 4}
13. A Bug’s Life – $3,443,206 ($147,397,874 total) {week 9}
19. Life Is Beautiful – $1,263,249 ($14,441,642 total) {week 13}
21. Elizabeth – $801,844 ($18,857,140 total) {week 11}
24. A Simple Plan – $401,509 ($3,536,158 total) {week 6}
25. Babe: Pig in the City – $383,200 ($16,943,870 total) {week 8}
26. Hilary and Jackie – $362,178 ($661,209 total) {week 3}
32. Little Voice – $277,891 ($1,512,591 total) {week 4}
38. Gods and Monsters – $154,906 ($2,415,669 total) {week 11}
40. Central Station – $151,673 ($1,036,177 total) {week 9}
44. Pleasantville – $85,136 ($39,122,547 total) {week 13}
45. Affliction – $82,780 ($290,445 total) {week 3}
50. American History X – $26,378 ($6,260,099 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Patch Adams – $15,984,338 ($151,415,253 total)
3. A Civil Action – $18,382,418 ($48,923,860 total)
4. The Thin Red Line – $15,263,809 ($20,066,732 total)
8. The Prince of Egypt – $7,270,027 ($126,561,307 total)
10. Shakespeare in Love – $7,392,398 ($33,271,265 total)
12. Mighty Joe Young – $7,135,494 ($63,079,621 total)
13. A Bug’s Life – $5,381,704 ($230,381,716 total)
19. Life Is Beautiful – $1,974,448 ($22,572,173 total)
21. Elizabeth – $1,253,276 ($29,473,561 total)
24. A Simple Plan – $627,555 ($5,526,987 total)
25. Babe: Pig in the City – $598,939 ($26,483,135 total)
26. Hilary and Jackie – $566,081 ($1,033,464 total)
32. Little Voice – $434,341 ($2,364,168 total)
38. Gods and Monsters – $242,117 ($3,775,672 total)
40. Central Station – $237,064 ($1,619,536 total)
44. Pleasantville – $133,067 ($61,148,233 total)
45. Affliction – $129,384 ($453,963 total)
50. American History X – $41,229 ($9,784,485 total)

Oscar Details:

• Affliction: Actor (Nick Nolte), Supporting Actor (James Coburn) [O]
• American History X: Actor (Edward Norton)
• Babe: Pig in the City: Original Song (“That’ll Do”)
• A Bug’s Life: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Central Station: Actress (Fernanda Montenegro), Foreign Language Film
• A Civil Action: Supporting Actor (Robert Duvall), Cinematography
• Elizabeth: Picture, Actress (Cate Blanchett), Original Dramatic Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup
• Gods and Monsters: Actor (Ian McKellen), Supporting Actress (Lynn Redgrave), Adapted Screenplay [O]
• Hilary and Jackie: Actress (Emily Watson), Supporting Actress (Rachel Griffiths)
• Life Is Beautiful: Picture, Director, Actor (Roberto Benigni) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O], Editing, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Little Voice: Supporting Actress (Brenda Blethyn)
• Mighty Joe Young: Visual Effects
• Patch Adams: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Pleasantville: Original Dramatic Score, Art Direction, Costume Design
• The Prince of Egypt: Original Song (“When You Believe”) [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Shakespeare in Love: Picture [O], Director, Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow) [O], Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Supporting Actress (Judi Dench) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
• A Simple Plan: Supporting Actor (Billy Bob Thornton), Adapted Screenplay
• The Thin Red Line: Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 21-23, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

1. Philadelphia – $8,830,605 ($26,525,581 total) {week 5}
2. Mrs. Doubtfire – $8,798,118 ($162,497,655 total) {week 9}
7. Schindler’s List – $3,405,990 ($19,060,013 total) {week 6}
10. Shadowlands – $3,170,830 ($13,392,112 total) {week 4}
12. Beethoven’s 2nd – $2,025,010 ($43,320,570 total) {week 6}
13. In the Name of the Father – $1,430,020 ($3,285,726 total) {week 4}
15. The Piano – $1,111,530 ($23,890,429 total) {week 11}
999. Jurassic Park – $501,600 ($341,831,900 total) {week 33}
999. Six Degrees of Separation – $584,854 ($1,968,106 total) {week 7}
999. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $136,336 ($692,636 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Philadelphia – $16,773,924 ($50,385,912 total)
2. Mrs. Doubtfire – $16,712,215 ($308,667,794 total)
7. Schindler’s List – $6,469,751 ($36,204,905 total)
10. Shadowlands – $6,023,060 ($25,438,605 total)
12. Beethoven’s 2nd – $3,846,550 ($82,288,355 total)
13. In the Name of the Father – $2,716,354 ($6,241,307 total)
15. The Piano – $2,111,375 ($45,380,384 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $952,800 ($649,317,054 total)
999. Six Degrees of Separation – $1,110,943 ($3,738,460 total)
999. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $258,973 ($1,315,677 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beethoven’s 2nd: Original Song (“The Day I Fall in Love”)
• In the Name of the Father: Picture, Director, Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), Supporting Actor (Pete Postlethwaite), Supporting Actress (Emma Thompson), Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Mrs. Doubtfire: Makeup [O]
• Philadelphia: Actor (Tom Hanks) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Philadelphia”), Original Song (“Streets of Philadelphia”) [O]
• The Piano: Picture, Director, Actress (Holly Hunter) [O], Supporting Actress (Anna Paquin) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Editing, Cinematography, Costume Design
• Schindler’s List: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Liam Neeson), Supporting Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Makeup, Sound
• Shadowlands: Actress (Debra Winger), Adapted Screenplay
• Six Degrees of Separation: Actress (Stockard Channing)
• What’s Eating Gilbert Grape: Supporting Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 20-22, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

1. Rain Man – $7,003,147 ($79,484,881 total) {week 6}
3. Beaches – $4,790,326 ($13,230,727 total) {week 5}
4. The Accidental Tourist – $3,314,663 ($18,283,697 total) {week 5}
5. Working Girl – $3,077,747 ($34,210,957 total) {week 5}
7. Mississippi Burning – $2,652,537 ($10,081,850 total) {week 7}
11. Tequila Sunrise – $1,107,646 ($36,768,517 total) {week 8}
14. Dangerous Liaisons – $864,457 ($3,182,925 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Rain Man – $14,006,294 ($158,969,762 total)
3. Beaches – $9,580,652 ($26,461,454 total)
4. The Accidental Tourist – $6,629,326 ($36,567,394 total)
5. Working Girl – $6,155,494 ($68,421,914 total)
7. Mississippi Burning – $5,305,074 ($20,163,700 total)
11. Tequila Sunrise – $2,215,292 ($73,537,034 total)
14. Dangerous Liaisons – $1,728,914 ($6,365,850 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Accidental Tourist: Picture, Supporting Actress (Geena Davis) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Original Score
• Beaches: Art Direction
• Dangerous Liaisons: Picture, Actress (Glenn Close), Supporting Actress (Michelle Pfeiffer), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O]
• Mississippi Burning: Picture, Director, Actor (Gene Hackman), Supporting Actress (Frances McDormand), Editing, Cinematography [O], Sound
• Rain Man: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Dustin Hoffman) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction
• Tequila Sunrise: Cinematography
• Working Girl: Picture, Director, Actress (Melanie Griffith), Supporting Actress (Joan Cusack), Supporting Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Original Song (“Let the River Run”) [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 20-22, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Terms of Endearment – $3,466,172 ($60,745,310 total) {week 9}
3. Silkwood – $2,481,524 ($17,075,198 total) {week 6}
5. Nevery Cry Wolf – $1,974,814 ($9,026,227 total) {week 16}
6. Yentl – $1,774,021 ($28,235,776 total) {week 10}
10. The Big Chill – $1,124,948 ($49,196,598 total) {week 17}
999. Return of the Jedi – $255,401 ($251,381,095 total) {week 35}
999. The Right Stuff – $267,910 ($14,638,059 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Terms of Endearment – $8,190,895 ($143,546,953 total)
3. Silkwood – $5,864,078 ($40,350,319 total)
5. Nevery Cry Wolf – $4,666,674 ($21,329,834 total)
6. Yentl – $4,192,181 ($66,723,828 total)
10. The Big Chill – $2,658,359 ($116,256,246 total)
999. Return of the Jedi – $603,537 ($594,037,469 total)
999. The Right Stuff – $633,097 ($34,591,128 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Big Chill: Picture, Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Screenplay
• Nevery Cry Wolf: Sound
• 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]
• Silkwood: Directing, Actress (Meryl Streep), Supporting Actress (Cher), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Terms of Endearment: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actress (Shirley MacLaine) [O], Actress (Debra Winger), Supporting Actor (John Lithgow), Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Art Direction, Sound
• Yentl: Supporting Actress (Amy Irving), Original Song (“Papa, Can You Hear Me?”), Original Song (“The Way He Makes Me Feel”), Original Song Score [O], Art Direction