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

Minions (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 9-11, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

4. Toy Story 3 – $21,015,958 ($339,240,857 total) {week 4}
13. I Am Love – $503,008 ($2,003,059 total) {week 4}
15. The Kids Are All Right – $491,971 ($491,971 total) {week 1}
16. Winter’s Bone – $457,547 ($2,513,507 total) {week 5}
22. How to Train Your Dragon – $317,923 ($216,893,967 total) {week 16}
31. The Secret in Their Eyes – $129,810 ($5,876,720 total) {week 13}
35. Restrepo – $93,590 ($265,462 total) {week 3}
43. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $46,021 ($2,890,215 total) {week 13}
47. Avatar – $36,971 ($749,657,409 total) {week 30}
72. Dogtooth – $5,840 ($27,841 total) {week 3}
83. The Secret of Kells – $3,194 ($667,656 total) {week 19}
108. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $343 ($453,336 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Toy Story 3 – $21,761,771 ($351,279,823 total)
13. I Am Love – $520,859 ($2,074,143 total)
15. The Kids Are All Right – $509,430 ($509,430 total)
16. Winter’s Bone – $473,784 ($2,602,706 total)
22. How to Train Your Dragon – $329,205 ($224,591,091 total)
31. The Secret in Their Eyes – $134,417 ($6,085,273 total)
35. Restrepo – $96,911 ($274,883 total)
43. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $47,654 ($2,992,783 total)
47. Avatar – $38,283 ($776,261,221 total)
72. Dogtooth – $6,047 ($28,829 total)
83. The Secret of Kells – $3,307 ($691,350 total)
108. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $355 ($469,424 total)

Oscar Details:

• Avatar: Picture, Director, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Dogtooth: Foreign Language Film
• Exit Through the Gift Shop: Documentary Feature
• How to Train Your Dragon: Animated Feature, Original Score
• I Am Love: Costume Design
• The Kids Are All Right: Picture, Actress (Annette Bening), Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), Original Screenplay
• The Most Dangerous Man in America : Documentary Feature
• Restrepo: Documentary Feature
• 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 Jul. 15-17, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $56,178,450 ($56,178,450 total) {week 1}
4. War of the Worlds – $15,244,749 ($192,426,922 total) {week 3}
5. Batman Begins – $6,035,300 ($183,140,850 total) {week 5}
11. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $1,703,393 ($373,926,219 total) {week 9}
12. March of the Penguins – $1,515,059 ($4,011,328 total) {week 4}
14. Cinderella Man – $982,305 ($58,913,425 total) {week 7}
16. Crash – $428,624 ($51,379,460 total) {week 11}
28. Howl’s Moving Castle – $149,368 ($4,151,839 total) {week 6}
43. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $48,120 ($3,886,956 total) {week 13}
54. Murderball – $33,476 ($120,808 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $71,603,422 ($71,603,422 total)
4. War of the Worlds – $19,430,515 ($245,261,771 total)
5. Batman Begins – $7,692,418 ($233,426,013 total)
11. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $2,171,095 ($476,595,508 total)
12. March of the Penguins – $1,931,050 ($5,112,722 total)
14. Cinderella Man – $1,252,017 ($75,089,342 total)
16. Crash – $546,312 ($65,486,769 total)
28. Howl’s Moving Castle – $190,380 ($5,291,814 total)
43. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $61,332 ($4,954,201 total)
54. Murderball – $42,668 ($153,978 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Begins: Cinematography
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Costume Design
• 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]
• Murderball: Documentary Feature
• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: Makeup
• War of the Worlds: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 14-16, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

3. The Perfect Storm – $17,130,295 ($128,501,870 total) {week 3}
4. The Patriot – $10,612,898 ($82,764,272 total) {week 3}
13. Gladiator – $1,571,917 ($176,582,114 total) {week 11}
22. U-571 – $197,480 ($76,068,995 total) {week 13}
31. Erin Brockovich – $131,270 ($125,144,095 total) {week 18}
47. East-West – $62,682 ($2,000,973 total) {week 15}
70. Toy Story 2 – $19,909 ($245,823,397 total) {week 35}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. The Perfect Storm – $25,965,586 ($194,779,272 total)
4. The Patriot – $16,086,712 ($125,451,596 total)
13. Gladiator – $2,382,665 ($267,657,861 total)
22. U-571 – $299,334 ($115,303,096 total)
31. Erin Brockovich – $198,975 ($189,689,658 total)
47. East-West – $95,011 ($3,033,015 total)
70. Toy Story 2 – $30,177 ($372,611,717 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]
• The Patriot: Original Score, Cinematography, Sound
• The Perfect Storm: Sound, Visual Effects
• Toy Story 2: Original Song (“When She Loved Me”)
• U-571: Sound, Sound Editing [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 14-16, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

1. Apollo 13 – $15,630,650 ($90,927,245 total) {week 3}
5. Pocahontas – $8,075,716 ($106,270,208 total) {week 5}
8. Batman Forever – $5,285,080 ($164,642,784 total) {week 5}
11. The Bridges of Madison County – $1,857,931 ($63,770,175 total) {week 7}
14. Braveheart – $1,003,467 ($56,876,534 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Apollo 13 – $29,356,876 ($170,775,998 total)
5. Pocahontas – $15,167,494 ($199,592,552 total)
8. Batman Forever – $9,926,231 ($309,225,643 total)
11. The Bridges of Madison County – $3,489,493 ($119,770,651 total)
14. Braveheart – $1,884,673 ($106,823,283 total)

Oscar Details:

• Apollo 13: Picture, Supporting Actor (Ed Harris), Supporting Actress (Kathleen Quinlan), Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing [O], Art Direction, Sound [O], Visual Effects
• 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)
• Pocahontas: Original Song (“Colors of the Wind”) [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score [O]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 13-15, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

2. Ghost – $12,191,540 ($12,191,540 total) {week 1}
3. Days of Thunder – $8,168,248 ($54,052,078 total) {week 3}
6. Dick Tracy – $4,826,867 ($90,355,452 total) {week 5}
8. Total Recall – $3,218,325 ($104,855,865 total) {week 7}
13. Pretty Woman – $2,069,183 ($157,207,215 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Ghost – $23,547,253 ($23,547,253 total)
3. Days of Thunder – $15,776,498 ($104,398,458 total)
6. Dick Tracy – $9,322,814 ($174,516,322 total)
8. Total Recall – $6,216,008 ($202,523,030 total)
13. Pretty Woman – $3,996,507 ($303,636,630 total)

Oscar Details:

• Days of Thunder: Sound
• 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
• Ghost: Picture, Supporting Actress (Whoopi Goldberg) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)
• Total Recall: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 12-14, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Back to the Future – $10,555,133 ($32,580,763 total) {week 2}
3. Cocoon – $4,986,972 ($39,703,509 total) {week 4}
4. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $4,337,520 ($125,301,195 total) {week 8}
7. Silverado – $3,522,897 ($3,522,897 total) {week 1}
12. Prizzi’s Honor – $1,231,349 ($19,170,288 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Back to the Future – $24,291,672 ($74,981,643 total)
3. Cocoon – $11,477,060 ($91,373,991 total)
4. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $9,982,405 ($288,369,229 total)
7. Silverado – $8,107,625 ($8,107,625 total)
12. Prizzi’s Honor – $2,833,837 ($44,118,663 total)

Oscar Details:

• Back to the Future: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“The Power of Love’), Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• 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
• Silverado: Original Score, Sound

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 11-13, 1980

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $6,652,858 ($94,296,366 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $20,205,892 ($286,394,539 total)

Oscar Details:

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