Every week, we’ll take a look back in 5-year intervals in the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office that weekend historically. All data is collected from Box Office Mojo. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office (as well as a section looking at the inflation-adjusted numbers). The third 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. If you have any suggestions for more data you’d like to see, please let us know.

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

Inside Out (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Animated Feature, Original Screenplay, Original Score.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 18-20, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

1. Toy Story 3 – $110,307,189 ($110,307,189 total) {week 1}
19. Winter’s Bone – $351,317 ($474,329 total) {week 2}
20. The Secret in Their Eyes – $282,288 ($4,942,582 total) {week 10}
29. How to Train Your Dragon – $167,083 ($214,764,298 total) {week 13}
32. I Am Love – $121,504 ($121,504 total) {week 1}
39. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $84,121 ($2,524,139 total) {week 10}
40. Alice in Wonderland – $83,057 ($334,089,394 total) {week 16}
47. Avatar – $45,181 ($749,434,950 total) {week 27}
69. The Secret of Kells – $11,121 ($620,355 total) {week 16}
92. Ajami – $2,331 ($602,226 total) {week 20}
98. A Prophet – $1,342 ($2,080,336 total) {week 17}
103. The Last Station – $921 ($6,616,974 total) {week 23}
112. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $384 ($451,689 total) {week 21}
113. Departures – $368 ($1,497,853 total) {week 56}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Toy Story 3 – $114,221,766 ($114,221,766 total)
19. Winter’s Bone – $363,785 ($491,162 total)
20. The Secret in Their Eyes – $292,306 ($5,117,984 total)
29. How to Train Your Dragon – $173,012 ($222,385,845 total)
32. I Am Love – $125,816 ($125,816 total)
39. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $87,106 ($2,613,716 total)
40. Alice in Wonderland – $86,005 ($345,945,545 total)
47. Avatar – $46,784 ($776,030,867 total)
69. The Secret of Kells – $11,516 ($642,370 total)
92. Ajami – $2,414 ($623,598 total)
98. A Prophet – $1,390 ($2,154,163 total)
103. The Last Station – $954 ($6,851,797 total)
112. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $398 ($467,719 total)
113. Departures – $381 ($1,551,009 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ajami: Foreign Language Film
• Alice in Wonderland: Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Visual Effects
• Avatar: Picture, Director, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Departures: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Exit Through the Gift Shop: Documentary Feature
• How to Train Your Dragon: Animated Feature, Original Score
• I Am Love: Costume Design
• The Last Station : Actress (Helen Mirren), Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer)
• The Most Dangerous Man in America : Documentary Feature
• A Prophet: Foreign Language Film
• The Secret in Their Eyes: Foreign Language Film
• The Secret of Kells : Animated Feature
• Toy Story 3: Picture, Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“We Belong Together”) [O], Sound Editing
• Winter’s Bone: Picture, Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Supporting Actor (John Hawkes), Adapted Screenplay

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 24-26, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

1. Batman Begins – $27,589,389 ($122,511,813 total) {week 2}
7. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $6,113,071 ($358,469,219 total) {week 6}
10. Cinderella Man – $3,446,235 ($49,768,535 total) {week 4}
14. Crash – $1,030,658 ($48,198,479 total) {week 8}
17. Howl’s Moving Castle – $581,654 ($2,515,068 total) {week 3}
28. March of the Penguins – $137,492 ($137,492 total) {week 1}
30. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $98,842 ($3,562,686 total) {week 10}
85. Born Into Brothels – $3,625 ($3,511,470 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Batman Begins – $35,164,635 ($156,150,002 total)
7. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $7,791,543 ($456,894,465 total)
10. Cinderella Man – $4,392,471 ($63,433,531 total)
14. Crash – $1,313,647 ($61,432,383 total)
17. Howl’s Moving Castle – $741,359 ($3,205,633 total)
28. March of the Penguins – $175,243 ($175,243 total)
30. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $125,981 ($4,540,896 total)
85. Born Into Brothels – $4,620 ($4,475,618 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Begins: Cinematography
• Born Into Brothels : Documentary Feature
• Cinderella Man: Supporting Actor (Paul Giamatti), Editing, Makeup
• Crash: Picture [O], Directing, Supporting Actor (Matt Dillon), Original Screenplay [O], Original Song (“In the Deep”), Editing [O]
• Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room: Documentary Feature
• Howl’s Moving Castle: Animated Feature
• March of the Penguins: Documentary Feature [O]
• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: Makeup

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 23-25, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

7. Gladiator – $3,851,924 ($165,436,188 total) {week 8}
16. U-571 – $503,190 ($74,962,935 total) {week 10}
21. Erin Brockovich – $269,205 ($124,305,290 total) {week 15}
41. East-West – $76,726 ($1,714,499 total) {week 12}
58. Toy Story 2 – $35,716 ($245,664,083 total) {week 32}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Gladiator – $5,838,631 ($250,763,201 total)
16. U-571 – $762,720 ($113,626,564 total)
21. Erin Brockovich – $408,053 ($188,418,223 total)
41. East-West – $116,299 ($2,598,786 total)
58. Toy Story 2 – $54,137 ($372,370,233 total)

Oscar Details:

• East-West: Foreign Language Film
• Erin Brockovich: Picture, Directing, Actress (Julia Roberts) [O], Supporting Actor (Albert Finney), Original Screenplay
• Gladiator: Picture [O], Directing, Actor (Russell Crowe) [O], Supporting Actor (Joaquin Phoenix) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Sound [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Toy Story 2: Original Song (“When She Loved Me”)
• U-571: Sound, Sound Editing [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 23-25, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

1. Pocahontas – $29,531,619 ($34,484,978 total) {week 2}
2. Batman Forever – $29,211,516 ($106,614,713 total) {week 2}
4. The Bridges of Madison County – $6,204,640 ($46,314,311 total) {week 4}
6. Braveheart – $4,045,862 ($47,067,115 total) {week 5}
8. Crimson Tide – $3,111,812 ($80,900,374 total) {week 7}
999. The Postman (Il Postino) – $302,836 ($482,567 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Pocahontas – $55,465,133 ($64,768,338 total)
2. Batman Forever – $54,863,928 ($200,239,587 total)
4. The Bridges of Madison County – $11,653,312 ($86,985,729 total)
6. Braveheart – $7,598,780 ($88,399,616 total)
8. Crimson Tide – $5,844,484 ($151,943,921 total)
999. The Postman (Il Postino) – $568,775 ($906,338 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Forever: Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• Braveheart: Picture [O], Directing [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• The Bridges of Madison County: Actress (Meryl Streep)
• Crimson Tide: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• Pocahontas: Original Song (“Colors of the Wind”) [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score [O]
• The Postman (Il Postino): Picture, Directing, Actor (Massimo Troisi), Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 22-24, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Dick Tracy – $15,546,837 ($50,293,065 total) {week 2}
3. Total Recall – $8,278,935 ($81,424,280 total) {week 4}
8. Pretty Woman – $3,371,780 ($144,225,547 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Dick Tracy – $30,027,815 ($97,138,142 total)
3. Total Recall – $15,990,283 ($157,266,281 total)
8. Pretty Woman – $6,512,398 ($278,563,291 total)

Oscar Details:

• Dick Tracy: Supporting Actor (Al Pacino), Original Song (“Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)”) [O], Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)
• Total Recall: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 21-23, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Cocoon – $7,936,427 ($7,936,427 total) {week 1}
2. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $7,281,106 ($96,899,362 total) {week 5}
6. Prizzi’s Honor – $3,321,861 ($9,808,120 total) {week 2}
7. Return to Oz – $2,844,895 ($2,844,895 total) {week 1}
13. Beverly Hills Cop – $972,137 ($224,749,508 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Cocoon – $18,264,960 ($18,264,960 total)
2. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $16,756,799 ($223,005,011 total)
6. Prizzi’s Honor – $7,644,959 ($22,572,490 total)
7. Return to Oz – $6,547,265 ($6,547,265 total)
13. Beverly Hills Cop – $2,237,284 ($517,240,417 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beverly Hills Cop: Original Screenplay
• Cocoon: Supporting Actor (Don Ameche) [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Prizzi’s Honor: Picture, Directing, Actor (Jack Nicholson), Supporting Actor (William Hickey), Supporting Actress (Anjelica Huston) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Costume Design
• Rambo: First Blood Part II: Sound Effects Editing
• Return to Oz: Visual Effects

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 20-22, 1980

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $10,840,307 ($47,332,853 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $32,923,906 ($143,758,145 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Empire Strikes Back: Original Score, Sound [O], Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]