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

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

Weekend Box Office:

6. Slumdog Millionaire – $5,002,777 ($132,602,820 total) {week 18}
9. Coraline – $2,718,231 ($69,240,852 total) {week 6}
14. The Reader – $1,309,669 ($31,887,248 total) {week 14}
21. The Wrestler – $449,060 ($25,450,588 total) {week 13}
25. The Class – $333,337 ($2,456,132 total) {week 13}
27. Doubt – $289,388 ($32,888,223 total) {week 14}
28. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $270,835 ($126,532,358 total) {week 12}
30. Milk – $233,060 ($31,549,014 total) {week 16}
35. Revolutionary Road – $157,766 ($22,575,245 total) {week 12}
37. Defiance – $155,864 ($28,260,750 total) {week 11}
39. Frost/Nixon – $148,245 ($18,475,446 total) {week 15}
47. Waltz with Bashir – $52,317 ($2,126,007 total) {week 12}
50. Rachel Getting Married – $36,329 ($12,748,504 total) {week 24}
65. 12 – $11,433 ($30,189 total) {week 2}
73. Australia – $8,674 ($49,543,098 total) {week 16}
74. Katyn – $7,897 ($61,676 total) {week 4}
87. Frozen River – $4,939 ($2,508,841 total) {week 33}
97. The Betrayal – $1,271 ($31,953 total) {week 17}
103. Trouble the Water – $454 ($516,358 total) {week 30}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Slumdog Millionaire – $5,423,010 ($143,741,457 total)
9. Coraline – $2,946,562 ($75,057,084 total)
14. The Reader – $1,419,681 ($34,565,777 total)
21. The Wrestler – $486,781 ($27,588,437 total)
25. The Class – $361,337 ($2,662,447 total)
27. Doubt – $313,697 ($35,650,834 total)
28. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $293,585 ($137,161,076 total)
30. Milk – $252,637 ($34,199,131 total)
35. Revolutionary Road – $171,018 ($24,471,566 total)
37. Defiance – $168,957 ($30,634,653 total)
39. Frost/Nixon – $160,698 ($20,027,383 total)
47. Waltz with Bashir – $56,712 ($2,304,592 total)
50. Rachel Getting Married – $39,381 ($13,819,378 total)
65. 12 – $12,393 ($32,725 total)
73. Australia – $9,403 ($53,704,718 total)
74. Katyn – $8,560 ($66,857 total)
87. Frozen River – $5,354 ($2,719,584 total)
97. The Betrayal – $1,378 ($34,637 total)
103. Trouble the Water – $492 ($559,732 total)

Oscar Details:

• 12: Foreign Language Film
• Australia: Costume Design
• The Betrayal: Documentary 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]
• 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
• Katyn: Foreign Language Film
• 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
• Waltz with Bashir: Foreign Language Film
• The Wrestler: Actor (Mickey Rourke), Supporting Actress (Marisa Tomei)

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 12-14, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Passion of the Christ – $32,130,978 ($264,510,209 total) {week 3}
9. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $2,021,501 ($371,147,794 total) {week 13}
14. Mystic River – $1,386,460 ($87,163,685 total) {week 23}
15. Monster – $1,385,802 ($32,112,739 total) {week 12}
18. Something’s Gotta Give – $433,640 ($124,002,367 total) {week 14}
19. Cold Mountain – $412,645 ($94,645,048 total) {week 12}
24. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $286,017 ($10,428,710 total) {week 14}
26. The Fog of War – $279,029 ($3,314,317 total) {week 13}
27. The Triplets of Belleville – $272,258 ($5,684,367 total) {week 16}
30. In America – $266,019 ($14,955,863 total) {week 16}
34. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $175,263 ($93,143,778 total) {week 18}
38. The Last Samurai – $126,668 ($110,788,675 total) {week 15}
40. Lost in Translation – $120,027 ($44,477,523 total) {week 27}
41. My Architect – $111,807 ($1,627,293 total) {week 18}
42. Big Fish – $109,447 ($66,257,002 total) {week 14}
47. 21 Grams – $94,646 ($16,162,920 total) {week 17}
48. City of God – $93,685 ($7,203,574 total) {week 61}
49. The Cooler – $86,705 ($8,179,538 total) {week 16}
52. House of Sand and Fog – $63,070 ($12,820,497 total) {week 13}
60. Brother Bear – $38,236 ($85,145,349 total) {week 21}
119. The Weather Underground – $1,013 ($541,924 total) {week 41}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Passion of the Christ – $81,378,458 ($669,927,726 total)
9. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $5,119,876 ($940,009,833 total)
14. Mystic River – $3,511,501 ($220,760,361 total)
15. Monster – $3,509,835 ($81,332,264 total)
18. Something’s Gotta Give – $1,098,284 ($314,062,070 total)
19. Cold Mountain – $1,045,110 ($239,708,486 total)
24. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $724,398 ($26,412,901 total)
26. The Fog of War – $706,700 ($8,394,205 total)
27. The Triplets of Belleville – $689,551 ($14,396,855 total)
30. In America – $673,749 ($37,878,868 total)
34. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $443,890 ($235,906,204 total)
38. The Last Samurai – $320,813 ($280,595,616 total)
40. Lost in Translation – $303,994 ($112,648,680 total)
41. My Architect – $283,175 ($4,121,462 total)
42. Big Fish – $277,198 ($167,809,790 total)
47. 21 Grams – $239,711 ($40,935,994 total)
48. City of God – $237,277 ($18,244,566 total)
49. The Cooler – $219,599 ($20,716,400 total)
52. House of Sand and Fog – $159,738 ($32,470,605 total)
60. Brother Bear – $96,841 ($215,648,501 total)
119. The Weather Underground – $2,566 ($1,372,536 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)
• 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
• The Passion of the Christ : Original Score, Cinematography, Makeup
• 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 Mar. 12-14, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

11. Shakespeare in Love – $2,848,931 ($68,887,013 total) {week 14}
14. Life Is Beautiful – $1,865,738 ($32,801,942 total) {week 21}
17. Saving Private Ryan – $858,625 ($208,670,649 total) {week 34}
20. Elizabeth – $559,754 ($26,935,779 total) {week 19}
25. Affliction – $309,029 ($4,366,918 total) {week 11}
26. Mighty Joe Young – $301,860 ($50,001,198 total) {week 12}
30. A Bug’s Life – $273,504 ($159,336,861 total) {week 17}
31. Central Station – $262,543 ($4,209,096 total) {week 17}
32. The Prince of Egypt – $260,377 ($98,088,033 total) {week 13}
34. Patch Adams – $248,870 ($131,809,875 total) {week 12}
37. Gods and Monsters – $209,234 ($4,379,666 total) {week 19}
39. Pleasantville – $181,191 ($40,288,680 total) {week 21}
40. Tango – $151,039 ($563,615 total) {week 8}
41. The Thin Red Line – $139,020 ($35,753,402 total) {week 12}
43. Hilary and Jackie – $125,134 ($4,403,583 total) {week 11}
44. A Simple Plan – $113,344 ($15,747,647 total) {week 14}
45. Little Voice – $93,563 ($4,464,667 total) {week 12}
49. A Civil Action – $73,833 ($55,921,654 total) {week 12}
58. Children of Heaven – $47,738 ($452,272 total) {week 8}
59. The Red Violin – $44,577 ($1,916,592 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

11. Shakespeare in Love – $4,559,411 ($110,246,342 total)
14. Life Is Beautiful – $2,985,915 ($52,496,021 total)
17. Saving Private Ryan – $1,374,138 ($333,955,192 total)
20. Elizabeth – $895,827 ($43,107,851 total)
25. Affliction – $494,568 ($6,988,788 total)
26. Mighty Joe Young – $483,095 ($80,021,602 total)
30. A Bug’s Life – $437,714 ($255,001,709 total)
31. Central Station – $420,172 ($6,736,211 total)
32. The Prince of Egypt – $416,706 ($156,979,470 total)
34. Patch Adams – $398,290 ($210,947,694 total)
37. Gods and Monsters – $334,857 ($7,009,190 total)
39. Pleasantville – $289,977 ($64,477,750 total)
40. Tango – $241,722 ($902,006 total)
41. The Thin Red Line – $222,487 ($57,219,519 total)
43. Hilary and Jackie – $200,264 ($7,047,466 total)
44. A Simple Plan – $181,395 ($25,202,435 total)
45. Little Voice – $149,738 ($7,145,225 total)
49. A Civil Action – $118,162 ($89,496,663 total)
58. Children of Heaven – $76,400 ($723,813 total)
59. The Red Violin – $71,341 ($3,067,302 total)

Oscar Details:

• Affliction: Actor (Nick Nolte), Supporting Actor (James Coburn) [O]
• 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
• Tango: Foreign Language Film
• The Thin Red Line: Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound

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

Weekend Box Office:

4. Schindler’s List – $4,354,770 ($59,849,473 total) {week 14}
8. Mrs. Doubtfire – $1,749,677 ($206,159,563 total) {week 17}
14. In the Name of the Father – $1,258,690 ($20,766,422 total) {week 12}
15. Philadelphia – $1,141,408 ($64,203,043 total) {week 13}
17. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $935,191 ($6,746,565 total) {week 14}
999. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $325,409 ($564,463 total) {week 2}
999. The Fugitive – $349,400 ($183,752,965 total) {week 35}
999. Jurassic Park – $153,220 ($345,042,585 total) {week 41}
999. The Paper – $175,507 ($175,507 total) {week 1}
999. The Remains of the Day – $221,221 ($21,862,358 total) {week 22}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Schindler’s List – $8,469,923 ($116,405,793 total)
8. Mrs. Doubtfire – $3,403,080 ($400,975,418 total)
14. In the Name of the Father – $2,448,122 ($40,390,194 total)
15. Philadelphia – $2,220,011 ($124,873,383 total)
17. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $1,818,924 ($13,121,908 total)
999. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $632,913 ($1,097,867 total)
999. The Fugitive – $679,575 ($357,395,121 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $298,009 ($671,099,573 total)
999. The Paper – $341,357 ($341,357 total)
999. The Remains of the Day – $430,270 ($42,521,763 total)

Oscar Details:

• Four Weddings and a Funeral: Picture, Original Screenplay
• The Fugitive: Picture, Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones) [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects
• 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]
• The Paper : Original Song (“Make Up Your Mind”)
• Philadelphia: Actor (Tom Hanks) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Philadelphia”), Original Song (“Streets of Philadelphia”) [O]
• The Remains of the Day: Picture, Director, Anthony Hopkins, Actress (Emma Thompson), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, 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 Mar. 17-19, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

5. Rain Man – $2,878,960 ($130,228,241 total) {week 14}
7. Chances Are – $2,518,398 ($7,199,699 total) {week 2}
12. Dangerous Liaisons – $1,203,118 ($23,028,147 total) {week 13}
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $432,137 ($1,234,625 total) {week 2}
999. Working Girl – $805,262 ($55,483,083 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Rain Man – $5,895,704 ($266,689,068 total)
7. Chances Are – $5,157,324 ($14,743,968 total)
12. Dangerous Liaisons – $2,463,816 ($47,158,397 total)
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $884,956 ($2,528,338 total)
999. Working Girl – $1,649,063 ($113,621,528 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen : Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Visual Effects
• Chances Are: Original Score (“After All”)
• Dangerous Liaisons: Picture, Actress (Glenn Close), Supporting Actress (Michelle Pfeiffer), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O]
• 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 Mar. 16-18, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Splash – $6,452,183 ($14,880,673 total) {week 2}
2. Footloose – $4,745,560 ($37,940,028 total) {week 5}
6. Against All Odds – $2,609,391 ($11,968,141 total) {week 3}
7. Terms of Endearment – $1,567,518 ($89,755,915 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Splash – $15,611,979 ($36,005,914 total)
2. Footloose – $11,482,560 ($91,801,318 total)
6. Against All Odds – $6,313,794 ($28,958,627 total)
7. Terms of Endearment – $3,792,834 ($217,177,259 total)

Oscar Details:

• Against All Odds: Original Song (“Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)”)
• Footloose: Original Song (“Footloose”, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy”)
• Splash: Original Screenplay
• 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