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

RoboCop (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Feb. 13-15, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

5. Coraline – $14,783,157 ($35,019,078 total) {week 2}
9. Slumdog Millionaire – $7,284,808 ($86,680,723 total) {week 14}
15. The Reader – $2,209,080 ($19,157,194 total) {week 10}
16. The Wrestler – $1,848,627 ($18,751,411 total) {week 9}
17. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $1,611,370 ($122,256,143 total) {week 8}
20. Revolutionary Road – $987,212 ($20,319,509 total) {week 8}
21. Milk – $878,057 ($26,542,976 total) {week 12}
22. Defiance – $714,404 ($26,366,732 total) {week 7}
25. Doubt – $624,614 ($30,022,601 total) {week 10}
26. Frost/Nixon – $515,780 ($16,432,026 total) {week 11}
31. Bolt – $383,556 ($113,526,544 total) {week 13}
36. The Class – $219,958 ($866,384 total) {week 9}
42. The Dark Knight – $127,645 ($533,044,185 total) {week 31}
43. Rachel Getting Married – $124,494 ($12,077,692 total) {week 20}
44. Waltz with Bashir – $113,639 ($1,405,707 total) {week 8}
46. Australia – $89,264 ($49,320,783 total) {week 12}
58. Frozen River – $26,516 ($2,423,186 total) {week 29}
64. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $12,440 ($23,210,634 total) {week 27}
84. Trouble the Water – $1,420 ($507,887 total) {week 26}
92. The Betrayal – $343 ($17,457 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Coraline – $16,024,942 ($37,960,681 total)
9. Slumdog Millionaire – $7,896,732 ($93,961,904 total)
15. The Reader – $2,394,643 ($20,766,398 total)
16. The Wrestler – $2,003,912 ($20,326,530 total)
17. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $1,746,725 ($132,525,659 total)
20. Revolutionary Road – $1,070,138 ($22,026,348 total)
21. Milk – $951,814 ($28,772,586 total)
22. Defiance – $774,414 ($28,581,537 total)
25. Doubt – $677,082 ($32,544,499 total)
26. Frost/Nixon – $559,106 ($17,812,316 total)
31. Bolt – $415,775 ($123,062,774 total)
36. The Class – $238,434 ($939,160 total)
42. The Dark Knight – $138,367 ($577,819,897 total)
43. Rachel Getting Married – $134,951 ($13,092,218 total)
44. Waltz with Bashir – $123,185 ($1,523,786 total)
46. Australia – $96,762 ($53,463,729 total)
58. Frozen River – $28,743 ($2,626,734 total)
64. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $13,485 ($25,160,327 total)
84. Trouble the Water – $1,539 ($550,550 total)
92. The Betrayal – $372 ($18,923 total)

Oscar Details:

• Australia: Costume Design
• The Betrayal: Documentary Feature
• Bolt: Animated Feature
• The Class: Foreign Language Film
• Coraline: 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
• 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 Feb. 13-15, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $4,187,195 ($356,464,770 total) {week 9}
9. Mystic River – $3,687,667 ($74,648,730 total) {week 19}
10. Cold Mountain – $3,460,854 ($87,282,254 total) {week 8}
11. Monster – $3,237,258 ($19,762,717 total) {week 8}
12. Something’s Gotta Give – $2,605,868 ($118,893,485 total) {week 10}
13. Big Fish – $2,501,913 ($63,014,033 total) {week 10}
15. Lost in Translation – $1,492,810 ($41,815,971 total) {week 23}
16. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $1,055,629 ($91,065,299 total) {week 14}
19. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $928,422 ($7,228,406 total) {week 10}
20. In America – $796,833 ($12,263,556 total) {week 12}
21. The Triplets of Belleville – $771,436 ($3,457,005 total) {week 12}
23. The Last Samurai – $542,948 ($109,435,703 total) {week 11}
24. 21 Grams – $510,806 ($14,670,645 total) {week 13}
26. City of God – $441,331 ($5,878,605 total) {week 57}
28. The Cooler – $385,329 ($7,108,660 total) {week 12}
32. House of Sand and Fog – $258,277 ($11,843,352 total) {week 9}
34. The Fog of War – $210,091 ($1,527,294 total) {week 9}
43. Brother Bear – $92,256 ($84,714,804 total) {week 17}
47. My Architect – $106,182 ($944,004 total) {week 14}
90. Pieces of April – $8,186 ($2,510,149 total) {week 18}
111. The Weather Underground – $2,892 ($526,048 total) {week 37}
113. Dirty Pretty Things – $1,659 ($8,110,811 total) {week 31}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $10,604,952 ($902,821,988 total)
9. Mystic River – $9,339,792 ($189,063,606 total)
10. Cold Mountain – $8,765,341 ($221,060,662 total)
11. Monster – $8,199,037 ($50,053,237 total)
12. Something’s Gotta Give – $6,599,909 ($301,122,752 total)
13. Big Fish – $6,336,621 ($159,596,289 total)
15. Lost in Translation – $3,780,855 ($105,907,740 total)
16. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $2,673,602 ($230,642,019 total)
19. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $2,351,424 ($18,307,458 total)
20. In America – $2,018,147 ($31,060,034 total)
21. The Triplets of Belleville – $1,953,824 ($8,755,592 total)
23. The Last Samurai – $1,375,130 ($277,168,930 total)
24. 21 Grams – $1,293,724 ($37,156,493 total)
26. City of God – $1,117,764 ($14,888,803 total)
28. The Cooler – $975,927 ($18,004,176 total)
32. House of Sand and Fog – $654,141 ($29,995,779 total)
34. The Fog of War – $532,100 ($3,868,193 total)
43. Brother Bear – $233,658 ($214,558,055 total)
47. My Architect – $268,928 ($2,390,889 total)
90. Pieces of April – $20,733 ($6,357,480 total)
111. The Weather Underground – $7,325 ($1,332,327 total)
113. Dirty Pretty Things – $4,202 ($20,542,334 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 Feb. 12-14, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

6. Shakespeare in Love – $7,882,506 ($45,495,599 total) {week 10}
7. Saving Private Ryan – $3,360,087 ($199,323,269 total) {week 30}
9. Patch Adams – $3,129,670 ($126,564,435 total) {week 8}
11. Life Is Beautiful – $2,366,346 ($21,170,834 total) {week 17}
12. The Thin Red Line – $1,866,991 ($33,032,012 total) {week 8}
13. A Civil Action – $1,765,313 ($54,089,852 total) {week 8}
14. The Prince of Egypt – $1,094,786 ($94,913,730 total) {week 9}
18. A Simple Plan – $1,221,786 ($13,717,155 total) {week 10}
20. Elizabeth – $1,084,428 ($22,673,802 total) {week 15}
21. A Bug’s Life – $803,104 ($157,001,889 total) {week 13}
24. Mighty Joe Young – $717,883 ($47,841,489 total) {week 8}
27. Little Voice – $533,960 ($3,495,950 total) {week 8}
28. Central Station – $505,237 ($2,491,808 total) {week 13}
29. Hilary and Jackie – $493,731 ($3,228,335 total) {week 7}
33. Gods and Monsters – $289,482 ($3,347,357 total) {week 15}
35. Affliction – $220,603 ($902,506 total) {week 7}
38. Babe: Pig in the City – $125,730 ($18,100,915 total) {week 12}
45. Tango – $78,315 ($96,243 total) {week 4}
51. American History X – $67,983 ($6,412,832 total) {week 15}
52. Children of Heaven – $65,783 ($180,367 total) {week 4}
53. The Red Violin – $59,458 ($1,672,108 total) {week 16}
56. The Last Days – $37,692 ($67,068 total) {week 2}
58. Pleasantville – $33,764 ($39,350,608 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Shakespeare in Love – $12,615,113 ($72,810,870 total)
7. Saving Private Ryan – $5,377,462 ($318,995,704 total)
9. Patch Adams – $5,008,704 ($202,552,925 total)
11. Life Is Beautiful – $3,787,085 ($33,881,669 total)
12. The Thin Red Line – $2,987,921 ($52,864,224 total)
13. A Civil Action – $2,825,196 ($86,565,058 total)
14. The Prince of Egypt – $1,752,089 ($151,899,336 total)
18. A Simple Plan – $1,955,339 ($21,952,848 total)
20. Elizabeth – $1,735,512 ($36,287,010 total)
21. A Bug’s Life – $1,285,283 ($251,264,834 total)
24. Mighty Joe Young – $1,148,895 ($76,565,218 total)
27. Little Voice – $854,546 ($5,594,896 total)
28. Central Station – $808,578 ($3,987,874 total)
29. Hilary and Jackie – $790,164 ($5,166,607 total)
33. Gods and Monsters – $463,285 ($5,357,089 total)
35. Affliction – $353,052 ($1,444,365 total)
38. Babe: Pig in the City – $201,218 ($28,968,590 total)
45. Tango – $125,335 ($154,027 total)
51. American History X – $108,800 ($10,263,056 total)
52. Children of Heaven – $105,279 ($288,658 total)
53. The Red Violin – $95,156 ($2,676,031 total)
56. The Last Days – $60,322 ($107,335 total)
58. Pleasantville – $54,036 ($62,976,465 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
• 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)
• The Last Days: Documentary Feature [O]
• 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
• Tango: Foreign Language Film
• The Thin Red Line: Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Feb. 18-20, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

6. Schindler’s List – $4,101,720 ($41,310,638 total) {week 10}
8. Mrs. Doubtfire – $4,538,114 ($193,344,943 total) {week 13}
10. Philadelphia – $4,020,975 ($55,884,002 total) {week 9}
12. In the Name of the Father – $2,514,420 ($12,436,367 total) {week 8}
14. The Piano – $1,601,840 ($30,008,313 total) {week 14}
999. Jurassic Park – $278,770 ($343,942,245 total) {week 37}
999. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $45,142 ($1,133,994 total) {week 10}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Schindler’s List – $7,977,747 ($80,348,203 total)
8. Mrs. Doubtfire – $8,826,523 ($376,051,289 total)
10. Philadelphia – $7,820,700 ($108,693,047 total)
12. In the Name of the Father – $4,890,487 ($24,188,436 total)
14. The Piano – $3,115,540 ($58,365,451 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $542,201 ($668,959,438 total)
999. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $87,800 ($2,205,591 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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
• What’s Eating Gilbert Grape: Supporting Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Feb. 17-19, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

2. Rain Man – $6,668,185 ($110,564,882 total) {week 10}
6. Beaches – $3,692,184 ($35,776,667 total) {week 9}
8. Dangerous Liaisons – $3,126,268 ($12,120,395 total) {week 9}
10. Working Girl – $2,721,529 ($47,953,840 total) {week 9}
13. Mississippi Burning – $2,337,257 ($23,720,589 total) {week 11}
16. The Accidental Tourist – $1,065,669 ($26,626,370 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Rain Man – $13,655,502 ($226,421,282 total)
6. Beaches – $7,561,072 ($73,265,567 total)
8. Dangerous Liaisons – $6,402,156 ($24,820,859 total)
10. Working Girl – $5,573,307 ($98,202,700 total)
13. Mississippi Burning – $4,786,373 ($48,576,420 total)
16. The Accidental Tourist – $2,182,340 ($54,527,050 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. 17-19, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Footloose – $8,556,935 ($8,556,935 total) {week 1}
3. Terms of Endearment – $4,492,865 ($77,951,723 total) {week 13}
6. Broadway Danny Rose – $2,083,455 ($5,481,362 total) {week 4}
7. Silkwood – $1,740,167 ($30,022,652 total) {week 10}
8. Nevery Cry Wolf – $1,695,542 ($20,900,687 total) {week 20}
10. The Right Stuff – $1,608,243 ($17,413,836 total) {week 18}
12. Yentl – $945,257 ($35,637,439 total) {week 14}
999. Return of the Jedi – $104,768 ($252,120,895 total) {week 39}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Footloose – $20,704,727 ($20,704,727 total)
3. Terms of Endearment – $10,871,129 ($188,615,330 total)
6. Broadway Danny Rose – $5,041,217 ($13,262,938 total)
7. Silkwood – $4,210,583 ($72,644,095 total)
8. Nevery Cry Wolf – $4,102,606 ($50,572,198 total)
10. The Right Stuff – $3,891,374 ($42,135,264 total)
12. Yentl – $2,287,184 ($86,229,875 total)
999. Return of the Jedi – $253,501 ($610,042,523 total)

Oscar Details:

• Broadway Danny Rose: Director, Original Screenplay
• Footloose: Original Song (“Footloose”, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy”)
• 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