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

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

Boyhood (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Film Editing.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 10-12, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $24,213,875 ($339,221,800 total) {week 3}
8. Up – $4,715,746 ($273,834,761 total) {week 7}
12. Star Trek – $1,164,416 ($251,970,795 total) {week 10}
17. The Hurt Locker – $641,168 ($1,101,834 total) {week 3}
24. Food, Inc. – $251,114 ($1,708,941 total) {week 5}
37. Departures – $60,352 ($831,018 total) {week 7}
69. Il Divo – $3,588 ($204,044 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $26,247,841 ($367,716,431 total)
8. Up – $5,111,869 ($296,836,881 total)
12. Star Trek – $1,262,227 ($273,136,342 total)
17. The Hurt Locker – $695,026 ($1,194,388 total)
24. Food, Inc. – $272,208 ($1,852,492 total)
37. Departures – $65,422 ($900,824 total)
69. Il Divo – $3,889 ($221,184 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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]
• 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 Jul. 9-11, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

1. Spider-Man 2 – $45,180,743 ($256,438,326 total) {week 2}
9. Shrek 2 – $4,450,316 ($418,517,158 total) {week 8}
11. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $4,052,317 ($232,795,692 total) {week 6}
19. Before Sunset – $485,117 ($885,542 total) {week 2}
24. Troy – $221,415 ($132,195,898 total) {week 9}
26. Super Size Me – $173,242 ($10,349,135 total) {week 10}
33. Story of the Weeping Camel – $112,152 ($684,868 total) {week 6}
54. The Passion of the Christ – $19,425 ($370,232,710 total) {week 20}
73. The Twilight Samurai – $7,274 ($418,635 total) {week 12}
91. My Architect – $2,547 ($2,740,675 total) {week 35}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Spider-Man 2 – $114,429,732 ($649,483,985 total)
9. Shrek 2 – $11,271,361 ($1,059,982,709 total)
11. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $10,263,345 ($589,604,042 total)
19. Before Sunset – $1,228,661 ($2,242,821 total)
24. Troy – $560,780 ($334,813,910 total)
26. Super Size Me – $438,772 ($26,211,361 total)
33. Story of the Weeping Camel – $284,049 ($1,734,572 total)
54. The Passion of the Christ – $49,198 ($937,692,191 total)
73. The Twilight Samurai – $18,423 ($1,060,281 total)
91. My Architect – $6,451 ($6,941,336 total)

Oscar Details:

• Before Sunset: Adapted Screenplay
• 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”)
• Spider-Man 2: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Story of the Weeping Camel : Documentary Feature
• Super Size Me : Documentary Feature
• Troy: Costume Design
• The Twilight Samurai: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 9-11, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

4. Tarzan – $10,811,295 ($129,005,420 total) {week 4}
7. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $7,491,397 ($385,184,373 total) {week 8}
8. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut – $7,062,131 ($35,503,056 total) {week 2}
9. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $6,827,232 ($182,515,800 total) {week 5}
13. The Mummy – $867,505 ($149,609,505 total) {week 10}
14. The Red Violin – $518,184 ($5,454,304 total) {week 26}
15. Shakespeare in Love – $511,368 ($99,418,544 total) {week 31}
16. The Matrix – $510,407 ($167,505,401 total) {week 15}
24. Buena Vista Social Club – $254,339 ($1,912,838 total) {week 6}
28. Life – $169,505 ($63,077,804 total) {week 13}
45. Election – $58,454 ($14,455,310 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Tarzan – $17,302,328 ($206,459,462 total)
7. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $11,989,185 ($616,446,644 total)
8. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut – $11,302,190 ($56,818,867 total)
9. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $10,926,259 ($292,097,137 total)
13. The Mummy – $1,388,350 ($239,434,109 total)
14. The Red Violin – $829,298 ($8,729,034 total)
15. Shakespeare in Love – $818,390 ($159,108,812 total)
16. The Matrix – $816,852 ($268,074,589 total)
24. Buena Vista Social Club – $407,043 ($3,061,294 total)
28. Life – $271,275 ($100,949,320 total)
45. Election – $93,549 ($23,134,187 total)

Oscar Details:

• Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Makeup
• Buena Vista Social Club: Documentary Feature
• Election: Adapted Screenplay
• Life: Makeup
• The Matrix : Editing [O], Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Mummy : Sound
• The Red Violin : Original Score [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
• South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut: Original Song (“Blame Canada”)
• 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. 15-17, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

1. True Lies – $25,869,770 ($25,869,770 total) {week 1}
2. Forrest Gump – $24,125,273 ($72,117,610 total) {week 2}
3. The Lion King – $16,886,224 ($174,348,094 total) {week 5}
5. Speed – $5,103,359 ($93,515,856 total) {week 6}
12. Wyatt Earp – $1,005,164 ($21,631,944 total) {week 4}
999. Schindler’s List – $142,515 ($95,777,418 total) {week 31}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. True Lies – $50,316,084 ($50,316,084 total)
2. Forrest Gump – $46,923,079 ($140,267,026 total)
3. The Lion King – $32,843,302 ($339,102,872 total)
5. Speed – $9,925,911 ($181,886,103 total)
12. Wyatt Earp – $1,955,020 ($42,073,614 total)
999. Schindler’s List – $277,188 ($186,284,787 total)

Oscar Details:

• Forrest Gump: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Tom Hanks) [O], Supporting Actor (Gary Sinise), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• The Lion King : Original Song (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” [O], “Circle of Life”, “Hakuna Matata”), Original Score [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
• Speed: Editing, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
• True Lies: Visual Effects
• Wyatt Earp: Cinematography

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 14-16, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

1. Lethal Weapon 2 – $17,188,126 ($49,212,120 total) {week 2}
2. Batman – $15,114,415 ($167,635,148 total) {week 4}
6. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – $4,613,927 ($165,962,813 total) {week 8}
8. Dead Poets Society – $4,258,839 ($63,871,066 total) {week 7}
10. Do the Right Thing – $3,017,880 ($13,447,106 total) {week 3}
13. Field of Dreams – $1,098,630 ($55,168,709 total) {week 13}
14. When Harry Met Sally… – $1,094,453 ($1,094,453 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Lethal Weapon 2 – $35,198,858 ($100,779,480 total)
2. Batman – $30,952,190 ($343,293,137 total)
6. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – $9,448,672 ($339,868,431 total)
8. Dead Poets Society – $8,721,502 ($130,798,934 total)
10. Do the Right Thing – $6,180,193 ($27,537,776 total)
13. Field of Dreams – $2,249,839 ($112,977,734 total)
14. When Harry Met Sally… – $2,241,285 ($2,241,285 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]
• Lethal Weapon 2: Sound Effects
• When Harry Met Sally…: Original Screenplay

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 13-15, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Ghostbusters – $9,761,392 ($115,635,510 total) {week 6}
4. The Karate Kid – $4,763,399 ($28,607,858 total) {week 4}
5. The Muppets Take Manhattan – $4,416,022 ($4,416,022 total) {week 1}
6. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $4,104,665 ($141,729,774 total) {week 8}
13. The Natural – $1,014,338 ($42,767,283 total) {week 10}
14. Romancing the Stone – $1,003,947 ($69,570,644 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Ghostbusters – $23,619,082 ($279,796,636 total)
4. The Karate Kid – $11,525,724 ($69,220,799 total)
5. The Muppets Take Manhattan – $10,685,196 ($10,685,196 total)
6. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $9,931,823 ($342,935,435 total)
13. The Natural – $2,454,336 ($103,481,551 total)
14. Romancing the Stone – $2,429,193 ($168,336,112 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 Muppets Take Manhattan : Original Song Score
• The Natural : Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction
• Romancing the Stone: Editing