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

Wild Tales (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Wild Tales (already nominated).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Feb. 19-21, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

3. Avatar – $16,240,857 ($687,962,011 total) {week 10}
5. The Wolfman – $9,895,105 ($50,363,730 total) {week 2}
8. Crazy Heart – $2,964,586 ($21,524,784 total) {week 10}
13. The Blind Side – $1,451,100 ($247,071,052 total) {week 14}
14. Up in the Air – $1,052,036 ($80,908,880 total) {week 12}
16. Sherlock Holmes – $846,490 ($205,534,198 total) {week 9}
20. The Last Station – $558,214 ($2,162,370 total) {week 6}
21. The Princess and the Frog – $539,685 ($102,673,293 total) {week 13}
23. An Education – $354,481 ($11,058,964 total) {week 20}
24. A Single Man – $340,101 ($7,506,512 total) {week 11}
26. The Lovely Bones – $266,297 ($43,364,519 total) {week 11}
28. The Young Victoria – $248,564 ($9,841,072 total) {week 10}
30. The White Ribbon – $177,780 ($1,273,179 total) {week 8}
32. Precious – $160,848 ($46,819,335 total) {week 16}
33. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $143,775 ($7,264,776 total) {week 9}
37. Invictus – $82,488 ($36,920,118 total) {week 11}
41. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $58,239 ($20,760,922 total) {week 15}
44. Ajami – $49,968 ($164,905 total) {week 3}
46. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $46,501 ($126,225 total) {week 4}
52. The Messenger – $25,972 ($893,323 total) {week 15}
54. Nine – $21,193 ($19,574,921 total) {week 10}
87. The Cove – $1,430 ($852,131 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Avatar – $16,714,291 ($708,016,670 total)
5. The Wolfman – $10,183,555 ($51,831,874 total)
8. Crazy Heart – $3,051,006 ($22,152,249 total)
13. The Blind Side – $1,493,401 ($254,273,377 total)
14. Up in the Air – $1,082,704 ($83,267,441 total)
16. Sherlock Holmes – $871,166 ($211,525,689 total)
20. The Last Station – $574,486 ($2,225,405 total)
21. The Princess and the Frog – $555,417 ($105,666,304 total)
23. An Education – $364,814 ($11,381,342 total)
24. A Single Man – $350,015 ($7,725,333 total)
26. The Lovely Bones – $274,060 ($44,628,630 total)
28. The Young Victoria – $255,810 ($10,127,947 total)
30. The White Ribbon – $182,962 ($1,310,293 total)
32. Precious – $165,537 ($48,184,157 total)
33. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $147,966 ($7,476,550 total)
37. Invictus – $84,893 ($37,996,370 total)
41. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $59,937 ($21,366,120 total)
44. Ajami – $51,425 ($169,712 total)
46. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $47,857 ($129,905 total)
52. The Messenger – $26,729 ($919,364 total)
54. Nine – $21,811 ($20,145,546 total)
87. The Cove – $1,472 ($876,971 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ajami: Foreign Language Film
• Avatar: Picture, Director, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• The Blind Side: Picture, Actress (Sandra Bullock) [O]
• The Cove: Documentary Feature
• Crazy Heart: Actor (Jeff Bridges) [O], Supporting Actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Original Song (“The Weary Kind”) [O]
• An Education: Picture, Actress (Carey Mulligan), Adapted Screenplay
• Fantastic Mr. Fox: Animated Feature, Original Score
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Art Direction, Costume Design
• Invictus: Actor (Morgan Freeman), Supporting Actor (Matt Damon)
• The Last Station : Actress (Helen Mirren), Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer)
• The Lovely Bones : Supporting Actor (Stanley Tucci)
• The Messenger : Supporting Actor (Woody Harrelson), Original Screenplay
• The Most Dangerous Man in America : Documentary Feature
• Nine: Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz), Original Song (“Take It All”), Art Direction, Costume Design
• Precious: Picture, Director, Actress (Gabourey Sidibe), Supporting Actress (Mo’Nique) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing
• The Princess and the Frog : Animated Feature, Original Song (“Almost There”), Original Song (“Down in New Orleans”)
• Sherlock Holmes: Original Score, Art Direction
• A Single Man: Actor (Colin Firth)
• Up in the Air: Picture, Director, Actor (George Clooney), Supporting Actress (Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick), Adapted Screenplay
• The White Ribbon : Cinematography, Foreign Language Film
• The Wolfman: Makeup
• The Young Victoria : Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Makeup

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Feb. 25-27, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

6. Million Dollar Baby – $7,344,390 ($64,851,738 total) {week 11}
10. The Aviator – $3,739,037 ($93,643,789 total) {week 11}
11. Sideways – $3,537,135 ($63,165,002 total) {week 19}
15. Finding Neverland – $1,826,197 ($48,066,961 total) {week 16}
16. Hotel Rwanda – $1,590,588 ($19,220,593 total) {week 10}
20. The Phantom of the Opera – $665,049 ($48,693,054 total) {week 10}
22. Being Julia – $655,749 ($6,856,158 total) {week 20}
24. The Incredibles – $447,214 ($256,425,875 total) {week 17}
28. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $231,720 ($117,719,036 total) {week 1}
31. Vera Drake – $201,613 ($3,380,704 total) {week 21}
35. Born Into Brothels – $130,078 ($718,096 total) {week 8}
36. Ray – $129,235 ($75,079,595 total) {week 18}
37. The Polar Express – $122,835 ($162,639,735 total) {week 1}
40. The Sea Inside – $94,475 ($967,457 total) {week 11}
41. House of Flying Daggers – $83,885 ($10,701,560 total) {week 13}
42. The Chorus – $81,455 ($805,184 total) {week 7}
47. Downfall – $62,817 ($102,207 total) {week 2}
48. A Very Long Engagement – $61,131 ($6,167,817 total) {week 14}
53. Kinsey – $44,815 ($9,658,250 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Million Dollar Baby – $9,303,658 ($82,152,280 total)
10. The Aviator – $4,736,502 ($118,625,205 total)
11. Sideways – $4,480,739 ($80,015,572 total)
15. Finding Neverland – $2,313,373 ($60,889,816 total)
16. Hotel Rwanda – $2,014,910 ($24,348,083 total)
20. The Phantom of the Opera – $842,465 ($61,682,933 total)
22. Being Julia – $830,684 ($8,685,180 total)
24. The Incredibles – $566,518 ($324,832,778 total)
28. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $293,536 ($149,123,022 total)
31. Vera Drake – $255,397 ($4,282,577 total)
35. Born Into Brothels – $164,779 ($909,663 total)
36. Ray – $163,711 ($95,108,629 total)
37. The Polar Express – $155,604 ($206,027,246 total)
40. The Sea Inside – $119,678 ($1,225,546 total)
41. House of Flying Daggers – $106,263 ($13,556,422 total)
42. The Chorus – $103,185 ($1,019,983 total)
47. Downfall – $79,575 ($129,473 total)
48. A Very Long Engagement – $77,439 ($7,813,210 total)
53. Kinsey – $56,770 ($12,234,788 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Aviator: Picture, Director, Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Supporting Actor (Alan Alda), Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett) [O], Original Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Sound Mixing
• Being Julia: Actress (Annette Bening)
• Born Into Brothels : Documentary Feature
• The Chorus: Original Song (“Look To Your Path”), Foreign Language Film
• Downfall : Foreign Language Film
• Finding Neverland: Picture, Actor (Johnny Depp), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design
• Hotel Rwanda: Actor (Don Cheadle), Supporting Actress (Sophie Okonedo), Original Screenplay
• House of Flying Daggers: Cinematography
• The Incredibles: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O]
• Kinsey: Supporting Actress (Laura Linney)
• Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events: Original Score, Makeup [O], Art Direction, Costume Design
• Million Dollar Baby: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• The Phantom of the Opera : Original Song (“Learn To Be Lonely”), Cinematography, Art Direction
• The Polar Express : Original Song (“Believe”), Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Ray: Picture, Director, Actor (Jamie Foxx) [O], Editing, Costume Design, Sound Mixing [O]
• The Sea Inside : Makeup, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Sideways: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Thomas Haden Church), Supporting Actress (Virginia Madsen), Adapted Screenplay [O]
• Vera Drake: Director, Actress (Imelda Staunton), Original Screenplay
• A Very Long Engagement: Cinematography, Art Direction

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Feb. 25-27, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

7. Wonder Boys – $5,808,919 ($5,856,853 total) {week 1}
9. American Beauty – $4,607,709 ($87,525,789 total) {week 24}
10. The Cider House Rules – $4,066,251 ($31,914,836 total) {week 12}
13. The Green Mile – $1,947,106 ($131,140,276 total) {week 12}
15. The Sixth Sense – $1,547,640 ($283,917,914 total) {week 30}
16. The Hurricane – $1,257,855 ($48,135,741 total) {week 9}
18. Stuart Little – $1,078,890 ($136,254,123 total) {week 11}
20. The Insider – $521,342 ($27,549,240 total) {week 17}
21. Toy Story 2 – $504,392 ($240,627,332 total) {week 15}
22. Angela’s Ashes – $381,436 ($11,927,892 total) {week 10}
23. Topsy-Turvy – $378,275 ($4,586,550 total) {week 11}
24. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $358,501 ($79,928,884 total) {week 10}
25. Boys Don’t Cry – $334,251 ($4,839,061 total) {week 21}
28. Magnolia – $224,692 ($21,570,650 total) {week 11}
29. All About My Mother – $218,288 ($5,961,051 total) {week 17}
30. Anna and the King – $194,251 ($38,773,566 total) {week 11}
31. Girl, Interrupted – $183,831 ($28,374,916 total) {week 10}
33. The End of the Affair – $160,804 ($10,401,340 total) {week 13}
34. Being John Malkovich – $159,237 ($21,980,927 total) {week 18}
35. Snow Falling on Cedars – $152,490 ($14,073,043 total) {week 10}
36. Sweet and Lowdown – $151,608 ($3,137,710 total) {week 13}
41. Sleepy Hollow – $113,236 ($98,464,738 total) {week 15}
53. The Straight Story – $66,369 ($5,686,237 total) {week 20}
58. Titus – $52,546 ($1,222,713 total) {week 10}
59. Bicentennial Man – $51,870 ($57,448,232 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Wonder Boys – $8,751,099 ($8,823,311 total)
9. American Beauty – $6,941,484 ($131,857,033 total)
10. The Cider House Rules – $6,125,781 ($48,079,493 total)
13. The Green Mile – $2,933,303 ($197,561,974 total)
15. The Sixth Sense – $2,331,510 ($427,720,494 total)
16. The Hurricane – $1,894,950 ($72,516,181 total)
18. Stuart Little – $1,625,341 ($205,265,952 total)
20. The Insider – $785,398 ($41,502,751 total)
21. Toy Story 2 – $759,863 ($362,503,513 total)
22. Angela’s Ashes – $574,631 ($17,969,292 total)
23. Topsy-Turvy – $569,869 ($6,909,608 total)
24. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $540,079 ($120,412,345 total)
25. Boys Don’t Cry – $503,547 ($7,290,014 total)
28. Magnolia – $338,497 ($32,496,044 total)
29. All About My Mother – $328,849 ($8,980,285 total)
30. Anna and the King – $292,638 ($58,412,125 total)
31. Girl, Interrupted – $276,940 ($42,746,627 total)
33. The End of the Affair – $242,250 ($15,669,551 total)
34. Being John Malkovich – $239,890 ($33,114,124 total)
35. Snow Falling on Cedars – $229,725 ($21,200,948 total)
36. Sweet and Lowdown – $228,396 ($4,726,940 total)
41. Sleepy Hollow – $170,589 ($148,336,488 total)
53. The Straight Story – $99,984 ($8,566,279 total)
58. Titus – $79,160 ($1,842,009 total)
59. Bicentennial Man – $78,142 ($86,545,388 total)

Oscar Details:

• All About My Mother: Foreign Language Film [O]
• American Beauty: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Actress (Annette Bening), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography
• Angela’s Ashes: Original Score
• Anna and the King: Art Direction, Costume Design
• Being John Malkovich: Director, Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), Original Screenplay
• Bicentennial Man: Makeup
• Boys Don’t Cry: Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actress (Chloe Sevigny)
• The Cider House Rules : Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Michael Caine) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Art Direction
• The End of the Affair : Actress (Julianne Moore), Cinematography
• Girl, Interrupted: Supporting Actress (Angelina Jolie)
• The Green Mile : Picture, Supporting Actor (Michael Clarke Duncan), Adapted Screenplay, Sound
• The Hurricane : Actor (Denzel Washington)
• The Insider : Picture, Director, Actor (Russell Crowe), Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Sound
• Magnolia: Supporting Actor (Tom Cruise), Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Save Me”)
• The Sixth Sense : Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment), Supporting Actress (Toni Collette), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Sleepy Hollow: Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design
• Snow Falling on Cedars: Cinematography
• The Straight Story : Actor (Richard Farnsworth)
• Stuart Little: Visual Effects
• Sweet and Lowdown: Actor (Sean Penn), Supporting Actress (Samantha Morton)
• The Talented Mr. Ripley : Supporting Actor (Jude Law), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design
• Titus: Costume Design
• Topsy-Turvy: Original Screenplay, Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Makeup [O]
• Toy Story 2: Original Song (“When She Loved Me”)
• Wonder Boys: Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Things Have Changed”), Editing

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Feb. 24-26, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

6. Legends of the Fall – $2,620,035 ($57,236,459 total) {week 10}
7. Pulp Fiction – $2,377,030 ($82,825,904 total) {week 20}
8. Forrest Gump – $2,355,216 ($306,690,248 total) {week 34}
12. Nobody’s Fool – $1,902,930 ($33,308,221 total) {week 1}
13. The Shawshank Redemption – $1,712,200 ($18,605,911 total) {week 23}
15. The Madness of King George – $1,112,949 ($6,452,391 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Legends of the Fall – $4,890,732 ($106,841,390 total)
7. Pulp Fiction – $4,437,123 ($154,608,354 total)
8. Forrest Gump – $4,396,403 ($572,488,463 total)
12. Nobody’s Fool – $3,552,136 ($62,175,346 total)
13. The Shawshank Redemption – $3,196,107 ($34,731,034 total)
15. The Madness of King George – $2,077,505 ($12,044,463 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]
• Legends of the Fall: Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound
• The Madness of King George : Actor (Nigel Hawthorne), Supporting Actress (Helen Mirren), Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction [O]
• Nobody’s Fool: Actor (Paul Newman), Adapted Screenplay
• Pulp Fiction: Picture, Director, Actor (John Travolta), Supporting Actor (Samuel L. Jackson), Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), Original Screenplay [O], Editing
• The Shawshank Redemption : Picture, Actor (Morgan Freeman), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Feb. 23-25, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Driving Miss Daisy – $6,107,836 ($53,290,516 total) {week 11}
5. Born on the Fourth of July – $2,513,160 ($56,828,014 total) {week 10}
8. Glory – $1,682,720 ($18,395,102 total) {week 11}
10. Steel Magnolias – $1,207,930 ($72,828,100 total) {week 15}
11. The Little Mermaid – $1,048,730 ($75,689,932 total) {week 15}
13. My Left Foot – $907,637 ($4,439,388 total) {week 16}
999. Back to the Future Part II – $469,955 ($114,908,596 total) {week 14}
999. Cinema Paradiso – $129,381 ($384,274 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Driving Miss Daisy – $11,724,735 ($102,297,634 total)
5. Born on the Fourth of July – $4,824,317 ($109,088,292 total)
8. Glory – $3,230,186 ($35,311,638 total)
10. Steel Magnolias – $2,318,769 ($139,802,405 total)
11. The Little Mermaid – $2,013,165 ($145,296,040 total)
13. My Left Foot – $1,742,320 ($8,521,946 total)
999. Back to the Future Part II – $902,136 ($220,581,040 total)
999. Cinema Paradiso – $248,363 ($737,661 total)

Oscar Details:

• Back to the Future Part II: Visual Effects
• Born on the Fourth of July: Picture, Director [O], Actor (Tom Cruise), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Sound
• Cinema Paradiso: Foreign Language Film
• Driving Miss Daisy: Picture [O], Actor (Morgan Freeman), Actress (Jessica Tandy) [O], Supporting Actor (Dan Aykroyd), Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup [O]
• Glory: Supporting Actor (Denzel Washington) [O], Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound [O]
• The Little Mermaid: Original Song (“Kiss the Girl”, “Under the Sea” [O]), Original Score [O]
• My Left Foot: Picture, Director, Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) [O], Supporting Actress (Brenda Fricker) [O], Adapted Screenplay
• Steel Magnolias: Supporting Actress (Julia Roberts)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Feb. 22-24, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Beverly Hills Cop – $5,857,274 ($167,857,279 total) {week 12}
2. Witness – $5,163,819 ($19,317,498 total) {week 3}
4. The Killing Fields – $2,227,148 ($18,539,180 total) {week 17}
6. A Passage to India – $1,677,005 ($18,696,127 total) {week 11}
8. Amadeus – $1,093,433 ($28,746,160 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Beverly Hills Cop – $13,397,483 ($383,943,973 total)
2. Witness – $11,811,327 ($44,185,376 total)
4. The Killing Fields – $5,094,209 ($42,405,110 total)
6. A Passage to India – $3,835,854 ($42,764,099 total)
8. Amadeus – $2,501,035 ($65,751,780 total)

Oscar Details:

• Amadeus: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (F. Murray Abraham [O], Tom Hulce), Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup [O], Sound [O]
• Beverly Hills Cop: Original Screenplay
• The Killing Fields : Picture, Director, Actor (Sam Waterston), Supporting Actor (Haing S. Ngor) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography [O]
• A Passage to India: Picture, Director, Actress (Judy Davis), Supporting Actress (Peggy Ashcroft) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound
• Witness: Picture, Directing, Actor (Harrison Ford), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing [O], Art Direction