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

None

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

6. Slumdog Millionaire – $7,628,713 ($67,193,169 total) {week 12}
11. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $3,544,251 ($116,473,266 total) {week 6}
13. Revolutionary Road – $2,674,320 ($16,054,024 total) {week 6}
14. Defiance – $2,503,514 ($22,800,595 total) {week 5}
15. The Reader – $2,380,376 ($12,655,858 total) {week 8}
16. The Wrestler – $2,313,149 ($13,051,867 total) {week 7}
18. Milk – $1,481,155 ($23,464,697 total) {week 10}
19. Frost/Nixon – $1,403,550 ($14,316,246 total) {week 9}
23. Doubt – $836,997 ($27,984,891 total) {week 8}
26. The Dark Knight – $436,843 ($532,356,746 total) {week 29}
31. Rachel Getting Married – $223,075 ($11,659,863 total) {week 18}
34. Australia – $172,706 ($48,955,455 total) {week 10}
35. Waltz with Bashir – $157,155 ($991,343 total) {week 6}
36. The Class – $155,190 ($314,334 total) {week 7}
38. Bolt – $122,480 ($112,973,613 total) {week 11}
46. Frozen River – $30,036 ($2,339,994 total) {week 27}
52. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $20,425 ($23,164,041 total) {week 25}
66. Trouble the Water – $4,748 ($498,388 total) {week 24}
84. The Betrayal – $875 ($16,708 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Slumdog Millionaire – $8,076,264 ($71,135,168 total)
11. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $3,752,180 ($123,306,364 total)
13. Revolutionary Road – $2,831,213 ($16,995,860 total)
14. Defiance – $2,650,387 ($24,138,230 total)
15. The Reader – $2,520,025 ($13,398,335 total)
16. The Wrestler – $2,448,854 ($13,817,577 total)
18. Milk – $1,568,049 ($24,841,293 total)
19. Frost/Nixon – $1,485,892 ($15,156,132 total)
23. Doubt – $886,101 ($29,626,671 total)
26. The Dark Knight – $462,471 ($563,588,342 total)
31. Rachel Getting Married – $236,162 ($12,343,908 total)
34. Australia – $182,838 ($51,827,508 total)
35. Waltz with Bashir – $166,375 ($1,049,502 total)
36. The Class – $164,294 ($332,775 total)
38. Bolt – $129,665 ($119,601,398 total)
46. Frozen River – $31,798 ($2,477,274 total)
52. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $21,623 ($24,522,998 total)
66. Trouble the Water – $5,027 ($527,627 total)
84. The Betrayal – $926 ($17,688 total)

Oscar Details:

• Australia: Costume Design
• The Betrayal: Documentary Feature
• Bolt: Animated Feature
• The Class: Foreign Language Film
• 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
• Frozen River: Actress (Melissa Leo), 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. 30-Feb. 1, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

4. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $5,310,803 ($345,331,815 total) {week 7}
6. Big Fish – $4,533,655 ($55,316,067 total) {week 8}
7. Mystic River – $4,378,417 ($64,858,601 total) {week 17}
10. Cold Mountain – $4,074,047 ($78,375,713 total) {week 6}
11. Monster – $3,397,404 ($10,482,689 total) {week 6}
12. Something’s Gotta Give – $3,353,974 ($11,884,639 total) {week 8}
15. Lost in Translation – $2,156,557 ($37,437,901 total) {week 21}
16. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $2,106,759 ($87,568,647 total) {week 12}
18. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $1,354,893 ($4,171,889 total) {week 8}
19. The Last Samurai – $1,203,487 ($107,459,807 total) {week 9}
21. In America – $758,775 ($10,049,016 total) {week 10}
23. 21 Grams – $632,239 ($13,125,984 total) {week 11}
24. The Cooler – $587,013 ($5,958,455 total) {week 10}
25. House of Sand and Fog – $430,653 ($10,967,441 total) {week 7}
29. The Triplets of Belleville – $261,508 ($2,152,601 total) {week 10}
32. The Fog of War – $183,365 ($918,372 total) {week 7}
35. Brother Bear – $135,690 ($84,449,553 total) {week 15}
50. My Architect – $68,085 ($672,118 total) {week 12}
58. City of God – $40,990 ($4,860,067 total) {week 55}
81. Pieces of April – $10,400 ($2,481,539 total) {week 16}
94. Dirty Pretty Things – $5,842 ($8,102,645 total) {week 29}
97. The Weather Underground – $2,890 ($510,584 total) {week 35}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $13,136,379 ($854,185,237 total)
6. Big Fish – $11,214,087 ($136,825,412 total)
7. Mystic River – $10,830,103 ($160,429,063 total)
10. Cold Mountain – $10,077,238 ($193,863,913 total)
11. Monster – $8,403,548 ($25,929,144 total)
12. Something’s Gotta Give – $8,296,123 ($29,396,895 total)
15. Lost in Translation – $5,334,287 ($92,603,406 total)
16. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $5,211,111 ($216,602,822 total)
18. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $3,351,355 ($10,319,252 total)
19. The Last Samurai – $2,976,849 ($265,804,009 total)
21. In America – $1,876,845 ($24,856,445 total)
23. 21 Grams – $1,563,856 ($32,467,387 total)
24. The Cooler – $1,451,989 ($14,738,359 total)
25. House of Sand and Fog – $1,065,229 ($27,128,187 total)
29. The Triplets of Belleville – $646,845 ($5,324,502 total)
32. The Fog of War – $453,557 ($2,271,612 total)
35. Brother Bear – $335,632 ($208,887,679 total)
50. My Architect – $168,410 ($1,662,497 total)
58. City of God – $101,390 ($12,021,474 total)
81. Pieces of April – $25,725 ($6,138,137 total)
94. Dirty Pretty Things – $14,450 ($20,042,056 total)
97. The Weather Underground – $7,148 ($1,262,940 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. 29-31, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

2. Patch Adams – $6,001,680 ($116,507,970 total) {week 6}
4. A Civil Action – $4,797,967 ($47,253,243 total) {week 6}
5. Shakespeare in Love – $4,037,917 ($31,447,302 total) {week 8}
7. The Thin Red Line – $3,300,316 ($27,272,459 total) {week 6}
10. The Prince of Egypt – $2,625,153 ($90,829,789 total) {week 7}
11. A Simple Plan – $2,107,277 ($10,068,654 total) {week 8}
12. A Bug’s Life – $1,922,070 ($154,152,003 total) {week 11}
13. Mighty Joe Young – $1,689,748 ($45,529,281 total) {week 6}
17. Life Is Beautiful – $926,243 ($17,182,785 total) {week 15}
21. Elizabeth – $654,109 ($20,553,150 total) {week 13}
26. Hilary and Jackie – $517,140 ($1,819,852 total) {week 5}
28. Little Voice – $312,275 ($2,184,354 total) {week 6}
29. Babe: Pig in the City – $281,385 ($17,671,255 total) {week 10}
32. Central Station – $208,810 ($1,511,918 total) {week 11}
34. Gods and Monsters – $154,931 ($2,781,959 total) {week 13}
46. Affliction – $70,833 ($504,148 total) {week 5}
52. The Red Violin – $44,824 ($1,505,371 total) {week 14}
53. Pleasantville – $43,026 ($39,252,946 total) {week 15}
57. Saving Private Ryan – $28,768 ($191,011,145 total) {week 28}
60. Children of Heaven – $20,990 ($49,684 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Patch Adams – $9,380,579 ($182,101,040 total)
4. A Civil Action – $7,499,185 ($73,856,447 total)
5. Shakespeare in Love – $6,311,232 ($49,151,885 total)
7. The Thin Red Line – $5,158,368 ($42,626,639 total)
10. The Prince of Egypt – $4,103,093 ($141,966,245 total)
11. A Simple Plan – $3,293,657 ($15,737,227 total)
12. A Bug’s Life – $3,004,180 ($240,938,367 total)
13. Mighty Joe Young – $2,641,063 ($71,161,908 total)
17. Life Is Beautiful – $1,447,711 ($26,856,558 total)
21. Elizabeth – $1,022,367 ($32,124,412 total)
26. Hilary and Jackie – $808,286 ($2,844,414 total)
28. Little Voice – $488,083 ($3,414,128 total)
29. Babe: Pig in the City – $439,803 ($27,620,032 total)
32. Central Station – $326,368 ($2,363,116 total)
34. Gods and Monsters – $242,156 ($4,348,180 total)
46. Affliction – $110,711 ($787,979 total)
52. The Red Violin – $70,060 ($2,352,883 total)
53. Pleasantville – $67,249 ($61,352,046 total)
57. Saving Private Ryan – $44,964 ($298,548,916 total)
60. Children of Heaven – $32,807 ($77,656 total)

Oscar Details:

• Affliction: Actor (Nick Nolte), Supporting Actor (James Coburn) [O]
• 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
• Children of Heaven: 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
• The Red Violin : Original Score [O]
• 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]
• 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 Feb. 4-6, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

2. Mrs. Doubtfire – $6,916,809 ($181,555,948 total) {week 11}
3. Philadelphia – $5,819,694 ($44,823,951 total) {week 7}
6. Schindler’s List – $4,637,480 ($29,305,853 total) {week 8}
13. Shadowlands – $1,790,484 ($19,558,519 total) {week 6}
17. Beethoven’s 2nd – $1,110,795 ($46,497,690 total) {week 8}
18. In the Name of the Father – $1,045,132 ($6,425,190 total) {week 6}
999. Jurassic Park – $512,315 ($343,071,695 total) {week 35}
999. Six Degrees of Separation – $538,831 ($3,450,713 total) {week 9}
999. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $82,698 ($987,071 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Mrs. Doubtfire – $13,138,628 ($344,869,432 total)
3. Philadelphia – $11,054,634 ($85,144,060 total)
6. Schindler’s List – $8,808,993 ($55,667,099 total)
13. Shadowlands – $3,401,063 ($37,151,828 total)
17. Beethoven’s 2nd – $2,109,979 ($88,323,363 total)
18. In the Name of the Father – $1,985,251 ($12,204,787 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $973,153 ($651,672,071 total)
999. Six Degrees of Separation – $1,023,521 ($6,554,704 total)
999. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $157,087 ($1,874,963 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]
• 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 Feb. 3-5, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

2. Rain Man – $5,449,961 ($96,278,210 total) {week 8}
4. Beaches – $4,152,096 ($25,874,160 total) {week 7}
7. Working Girl – $2,538,140 ($41,720,209 total) {week 7}
8. Mississippi Burning – $2,475,978 ($18,254,959 total) {week 9}
10. The Accidental Tourist – $1,539,396 ($24,017,846 total) {week 7}
11. Dangerous Liaisons – $1,134,214 ($6,507,281 total) {week 7}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Rain Man – $10,899,922 ($192,556,420 total)
4. Beaches – $8,304,192 ($51,748,320 total)
7. Working Girl – $5,076,280 ($83,440,418 total)
8. Mississippi Burning – $4,951,956 ($36,509,918 total)
10. The Accidental Tourist – $3,078,792 ($48,035,692 total)
11. Dangerous Liaisons – $2,268,428 ($13,014,562 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
• 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 Feb. 3-5, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Terms of Endearment – $3,045,877 ($69,591,523 total) {week 11}
2. Silkwood – $2,665,876 ($25,164,738 total) {week 8}
4. Nevery Cry Wolf – $2,283,814 ($16,652,211 total) {week 18}
6. Yentl – $14,754,052 ($32,873,470 total) {week 12}
14. Broadway Danny Rose – $911,309 ($2,190,127 total) {week 2}
15. The Big Chill – $883,473 ($51,472,635 total) {week 19}
999. Return of the Jedi – $147,127 ($251,833,927 total) {week 37}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Terms of Endearment – $7,197,697 ($164,451,397 total)
2. Silkwood – $6,299,719 ($59,466,673 total)
4. Nevery Cry Wolf – $5,396,870 ($39,350,761 total)
6. Yentl – $34,865,230 ($77,683,140 total)
14. Broadway Danny Rose – $2,153,510 ($5,175,479 total)
15. The Big Chill – $2,087,731 ($121,634,739 total)
999. Return of the Jedi – $347,675 ($595,107,554 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Big Chill: Picture, Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Screenplay
• Broadway Danny Rose: Director, Original Screenplay
• Nevery Cry Wolf: Sound
• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual 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