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

Transformers: Age of Extinction (Wide)

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

Snowpiercer (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Director, Editing.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 26-28, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $108,966,307 ($200,077,255 total) {week 1}
4. Up – $13,061,737 ($250,234,554 total) {week 5}
8. Star Trek – $3,711,968 ($246,331,182 total) {week 8}
21. Food, Inc. – $291,444 ($834,848 total) {week 3}
27. The Hurt Locker – $145,352 ($145,352 total) {week 1}
34. Departures – $82,333 ($612,518 total) {week 5}
58. Il Divo – $12,344 ($192,882 total) {week 10}
70. Revanche – $7,528 ($192,451 total) {week 9}
71. Coraline – $7,521 ($75,280,058 total) {week 21}
94. Burma VJ – $1,639 ($35,828 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $118,119,477 ($216,883,744 total)
4. Up – $14,158,923 ($271,254,257 total)
8. Star Trek – $4,023,773 ($267,023,001 total)
21. Food, Inc. – $315,925 ($904,975 total)
27. The Hurt Locker – $157,562 ($157,562 total)
34. Departures – $89,249 ($663,970 total)
58. Il Divo – $13,381 ($209,084 total)
70. Revanche – $8,160 ($208,617 total)
71. Coraline – $8,153 ($81,603,583 total)
94. Burma VJ – $1,777 ($38,838 total)

Oscar Details:

• Burma VJ: Documentary Feature
• Coraline: Animated Feature
• Departures: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Il Divo: Makeup
• Food, Inc.: Documentary Feature
• The Hurt Locker: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Jeremy Renner), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O]
• Revanche: Foreign Language Film
• Star Trek: Makeup [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Sound Mixing
• Up: Picture, Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Sound Editing

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 25-27, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $11,247,412 ($211,537,548 total) {week 4}
7. Shrek 2 – $10,216,452 ($396,782,535 total) {week 6}
14. Troy – $957,313 ($130,906,716 total) {week 7}
18. Super Size Me – $383,178 ($9,512,152 total) {week 8}
35. Story of the Weeping Camel – $85,515 ($358,489 total) {week 4}
52. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $38,080 ($34,217,011 total) {week 15}
58. The Passion of the Christ – $23,567 ($370,167,453 total) {week 18}
75. The Twilight Samurai – $11,244 ($388,857 total) {week 10}
78. The Triplets of Belleville – $8,789 ($6,989,996 total) {week 31}
88. Cold Mountain – $6,204 ($95,632,614 total) {week 27}
101. My Architect – $2,953 ($2,733,662 total) {week 33}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $28,486,436 ($535,763,323 total)
7. Shrek 2 – $25,875,313 ($1,004,935,205 total)
14. Troy – $2,424,596 ($331,548,785 total)
18. Super Size Me – $970,479 ($24,091,525 total)
35. Story of the Weeping Camel – $216,585 ($907,949 total)
52. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $96,446 ($86,661,776 total)
58. The Passion of the Christ – $59,688 ($937,526,914 total)
75. The Twilight Samurai – $28,478 ($984,862 total)
78. The Triplets of Belleville – $22,260 ($17,703,635 total)
88. Cold Mountain – $15,713 ($242,209,705 total)
101. My Architect – $7,479 ($6,923,574 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Actress (Kate Winslet), Original Screenplay [O]
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Original Score, Visual Effects
• My Architect: Documentary Feature
• The Passion of the Christ : Original Score, Cinematography, Makeup
• Shrek 2: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Accidentally in Love”)
• Story of the Weeping Camel : Documentary Feature
• Super Size Me : Documentary Feature
• The Triplets of Belleville: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Belleville Rendez-vous”)
• Troy: Costume Design
• The Twilight Samurai: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 25-27, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

2. Tarzan – $24,055,796 ($77,575,147 total) {week 2}
3. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $18,338,740 ($150,646,048 total) {week 3}
5. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $14,111,919 ($351,669,681 total) {week 6}
7. The Mummy – $2,172,945 ($146,033,465 total) {week 8}
10. The Matrix – $1,011,566 ($165,688,406 total) {week 13}
12. The Red Violin – $732,707 ($3,291,024 total) {week 24}
18. Life – $256,520 ($62,545,534 total) {week 11}
21. Buena Vista Social Club – $234,308 ($963,476 total) {week 4}
27. Election – $178,894 ($14,145,859 total) {week 10}
46. Shakespeare in Love – $74,703 ($97,834,665 total) {week 29}
60. Life Is Beautiful – $35,977 ($57,216,351 total) {week 36}
999. Regret to Inform – $6,294 ($6,294 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Tarzan – $38,498,744 ($124,150,777 total)
3. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $29,349,204 ($241,092,986 total)
5. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $22,584,626 ($562,809,942 total)
7. The Mummy – $3,477,567 ($233,711,037 total)
10. The Matrix – $1,618,904 ($265,166,681 total)
12. The Red Violin – $1,172,620 ($5,266,934 total)
18. Life – $410,533 ($100,097,479 total)
21. Buena Vista Social Club – $374,985 ($1,541,941 total)
27. Election – $286,301 ($22,638,944 total)
46. Shakespeare in Love – $119,554 ($156,573,982 total)
60. Life Is Beautiful – $57,577 ($91,568,688 total)
999. Regret to Inform – $10,073 ($10,073 total)

Oscar Details:

• Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Makeup
• Buena Vista Social Club: Documentary Feature
• Election: Adapted Screenplay
• Life: Makeup
• Life Is Beautiful: Picture, Director, Actor (Roberto Benigni) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O], Editing, Foreign Language Film [O]
• The Matrix : Editing [O], Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Mummy : Sound
• The Red Violin : Original Score [O]
• Regret to Inform: Documentary Feature
• 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
• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• Tarzan: Original Song (“You’ll Be In My Heart”)

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 1-3, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Lion King – $34,208,876 ($104,519,258 total) {week 3}
3. Speed – $11,237,264 ($73,209,544 total) {week 4}
7. Wyatt Earp – $5,295,223 ($15,631,516 total) {week 2}
11. Maverick – $3,056,516 ($84,770,644 total) {week 7}
999. Schindler’s List – $259,230 ($95,085,458 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Lion King – $66,535,445 ($203,287,456 total)
3. Speed – $21,856,210 ($142,390,812 total)
7. Wyatt Earp – $10,299,082 ($30,402,925 total)
11. Maverick – $5,944,850 ($164,876,875 total)
999. Schindler’s List – $504,196 ($184,938,941 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Lion King : Original Song (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” [O], “Circle of Life”, “Hakuna Matata”), Original Score [O]
• Maverick: 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
• Speed: Editing, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
• Wyatt Earp: Cinematography

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 30-Jul. 2, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

1. Batman – $30,075,189 ($100,219,669 total) {week 2}
5. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – $7,088,465 ($147,327,102 total) {week 6}
6. Dead Poets Society – $6,708,768 ($46,347,382 total) {week 5}
8. Do the Right Thing – $3,563,535 ($3,563,535 total) {week 1}
10. Field of Dreams – $1,804,800 ($50,617,860 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Batman – $61,589,745 ($205,235,745 total)
5. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – $14,516,176 ($301,705,123 total)
6. Dead Poets Society – $13,738,611 ($94,912,901 total)
8. Do the Right Thing – $7,297,617 ($7,297,617 total)
10. Field of Dreams – $3,695,976 ($103,658,237 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman: Art Direction [O]
• Dead Poets Society: Picture, Director, Actor (Robin Williams), Original Screenplay [O]
• Do the Right Thing: Supporting Actor (Danny Aiello), Original Screenplay
• Field of Dreams: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Original Score, Sound, Sound Effects [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 29-Jul. 1, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Ghostbusters – $11,148,617 ($80,636,536 total) {week 4}
5. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $5,741,844 ($125,963,710 total) {week 6}
7. The Karate Kid – $4,500,861 ($12,415,160 total) {week 2}
11. The Natural – $1,492,203 ($38,954,488 total) {week 8}
12. The Pope of Greenwich Village – $1,181,274 ($3,572,882 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Ghostbusters – $26,975,671 ($195,111,618 total)
5. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $13,893,212 ($304,787,191 total)
7. The Karate Kid – $10,890,476 ($30,040,253 total)
11. The Natural – $3,610,598 ($94,255,949 total)
12. The Pope of Greenwich Village – $2,858,261 ($8,645,098 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ghostbusters: Original Song (“Ghostbusters”), Visual Effects
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Original Score, Visual Effects [O]
• The Karate Kid : Supporting Actor (Noriyuki ‘Pat’ Morita)
• The Natural : Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction
• The Pope of Greenwich Village : Supporting Actress (Geraldine Page)