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

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Supporting Actress (Tilda Swinton), Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 6-8, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

4. Slumdog Millionaire – $6,808,383 ($125,324,813 total) {week 17}
7. Coraline – $3,255,852 ($65,627,777 total) {week 5}
12. The Reader – $1,925,918 ($29,860,949 total) {week 13}
19. The Wrestler – $744,172 ($24,711,985 total) {week 12}
20. Milk – $582,593 ($31,111,155 total) {week 15}
22. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $440,082 ($126,101,980 total) {week 11}
26. Doubt – $340,182 ($32,440,264 total) {week 13}
27. The Class – $293,001 ($2,016,717 total) {week 12}
32. Frost/Nixon – $224,875 ($18,243,471 total) {week 14}
33. Revolutionary Road – $219,592 ($22,322,313 total) {week 11}
34. Defiance – $209,810 ($28,021,658 total) {week 10}
40. Waltz with Bashir – $87,535 ($2,032,913 total) {week 11}
41. Rachel Getting Married – $64,263 ($12,685,530 total) {week 23}
57. Australia – $23,600 ($49,525,071 total) {week 15}
60. Frozen River – $15,291 ($2,495,848 total) {week 32}
66. 12 – $12,042 ($13,200 total) {week 1}
76. Katyn – $7,964 ($49,764 total) {week 3}
89. The Betrayal – $2,234 ($29,502 total) {week 16}
94. Trouble the Water – $1,691 ($513,690 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Slumdog Millionaire – $7,380,287 ($135,852,097 total)
7. Coraline – $3,529,344 ($71,140,510 total)
12. The Reader – $2,087,695 ($32,369,269 total)
19. The Wrestler – $806,682 ($26,787,792 total)
20. Milk – $631,531 ($33,724,492 total)
22. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $477,049 ($136,694,546 total)
26. Doubt – $368,757 ($35,165,246 total)
27. The Class – $317,613 ($2,186,121 total)
32. Frost/Nixon – $243,765 ($19,775,923 total)
33. Revolutionary Road – $238,038 ($24,197,387 total)
34. Defiance – $227,434 ($30,375,477 total)
40. Waltz with Bashir – $94,888 ($2,203,678 total)
41. Rachel Getting Married – $69,661 ($13,751,115 total)
57. Australia – $25,582 ($53,685,177 total)
60. Frozen River – $16,575 ($2,705,499 total)
66. 12 – $13,054 ($14,309 total)
76. Katyn – $8,633 ($53,944 total)
89. The Betrayal – $2,422 ($31,980 total)
94. Trouble the Water – $1,833 ($556,840 total)

Oscar Details:

• 12: Foreign Language Film
• Australia: Costume Design
• The Betrayal: Documentary Feature
• The Class: Foreign Language Film
• Coraline: Animated Feature
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Picture, Director, Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actress (Taraji P. Henson), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound Mixing, Visual Effects [O]
• Defiance: Original Score
• Doubt: Actress (Meryl Streep), Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), Supporting Actress (Viola Davis), Adapted Screenplay
• Frost/Nixon: Picture, Director, Actor (Frank Langella), Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• Frozen River: Actress (Melissa Leo), Original Screenplay
• Katyn: Foreign Language Film
• Milk: Picture, Director, Actor (Sean Penn) [O], Supporting Actor (Josh Brolin), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Costume Design
• Rachel Getting Married: Actress (Anne Hathaway)
• The Reader: Picture, Director, Actress (Kate Winslet) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography
• Revolutionary Road: Supporting Actor (Michael Shannon), Art Direction, Costume Design
• Slumdog Millionaire: Picture [O], Director [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Song (“Jai Ho”) [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing
• Trouble the Water: Documentary Feature
• Waltz with Bashir: Foreign Language Film
• The Wrestler: Actor (Mickey Rourke), Supporting Actress (Marisa Tomei)

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 5-7, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Passion of the Christ – $53,246,801 ($213,888,740 total) {week 2}
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $3,037,822 ($368,210,170 total) {week 12}
10. Monster – $2,123,915 ($29,954,254 total) {week 11}
11. Mystic River – $1,975,433 ($85,177,176 total) {week 22}
15. Cold Mountain – $827,306 ($93,983,865 total) {week 11}
19. The Fog of War – $434,162 ($2,850,932 total) {week 12}
20. Something’s Gotta Give – $405,476 ($123,440,600 total) {week 13}
21. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $391,403 ($9,944,834 total) {week 13}
25. In America – $361,861 ($14,580,899 total) {week 15}
26. The Triplets of Belleville – $311,394 ($5,281,088 total) {week 15}
29. Lost in Translation – $243,105 ($44,161,419 total) {week 26}
32. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $201,856 ($92,896,473 total) {week 17}
34. 21 Grams – $166,414 ($16,020,312 total) {week 16}
35. The Last Samurai – $166,205 ($110,572,904 total) {week 14}
37. Big Fish – $150,886 ($66,098,989 total) {week 13}
40. City of God – $141,211 ($7,047,349 total) {week 60}
42. My Architect – $129,177 ($1,470,107 total) {week 17}
44. The Cooler – $111,271 ($8,039,766 total) {week 15}
45. House of Sand and Fog – $96,363 ($12,712,724 total) {week 12}
51. Brother Bear – $62,936 ($85,095,337 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Passion of the Christ – $134,858,720 ($541,718,211 total)
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $7,693,923 ($932,569,683 total)
10. Monster – $5,379,261 ($75,865,447 total)
11. Mystic River – $5,003,199 ($215,729,109 total)
15. Cold Mountain – $2,095,326 ($238,033,901 total)
19. The Fog of War – $1,099,607 ($7,220,585 total)
20. Something’s Gotta Give – $1,026,953 ($312,639,277 total)
21. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $991,310 ($25,187,383 total)
25. In America – $916,489 ($36,929,193 total)
26. The Triplets of Belleville – $788,671 ($13,375,466 total)
29. Lost in Translation – $615,715 ($111,848,080 total)
32. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $511,243 ($235,279,852 total)
34. 21 Grams – $421,478 ($40,574,809 total)
35. The Last Samurai – $420,949 ($280,049,131 total)
37. Big Fish – $382,151 ($167,409,589 total)
40. City of God – $357,647 ($17,848,893 total)
42. My Architect – $327,168 ($3,723,355 total)
44. The Cooler – $281,817 ($20,362,398 total)
45. House of Sand and Fog – $244,060 ($32,197,647 total)
51. Brother Bear – $159,399 ($215,521,835 total)

Oscar Details:

• 21 Grams: Actress (Naomi Watts), Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro)
• Big Fish: Original Score
• Brother Bear: Animated Feature
• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• 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
• The Cooler: Supporting Actor (Alec Baldwin)
• The Fog of War: Documentary Feature [O]
• Girl with a Pearl Earring: Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design
• House of Sand and Fog: Actor (Ben Kingsley), Supporting Actress (Shohreh Aghdashloo), Original Score
• In America: Supporting Actress (Samantha Morton), Supporting Actor (Djimon Hounsou), Original Screenplay
• The Last Samurai: Supporting Actor (Ken Watanabe), Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Picture [O], Director [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Song (“Into the West”) [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup [O], Sound Mixing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Lost in Translation: Picture, Director, Actor (Bill Murray), Original Screenplay [O]
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World: Picture, Director, Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Monster: Actress (Charlize Theron) [O]
• My Architect: Documentary Feature
• Mystic River: Picture, Director, Actor (Sean Penn) [O], Supporting Actor (Tim Robbins) [O], Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden), Adapted Screenplay
• The Passion of the Christ : Original Score, Cinematography, Makeup
• Something’s Gotta Give: Actress (Diane Keaton)
• The Triplets of Belleville: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Belleville Rendez-vous”)

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 5-7, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

9. Shakespeare in Love – $3,306,893 ($64,826,518 total) {week 13}
11. Life Is Beautiful – $1,925,622 ($30,131,649 total) {week 20}
14. Saving Private Ryan – $1,177,743 ($207,316,586 total) {week 33}
17. Elizabeth – $620,623 ($26,106,939 total) {week 18}
19. Patch Adams – $504,645 ($131,417,750 total) {week 11}
20. The Prince of Egypt – $426,625 ($97,676,468 total) {week 12}
24. Affliction – $402,688 ($3,764,573 total) {week 10}
25. Mighty Joe Young – $366,593 ($49,620,754 total) {week 11}
28. A Bug’s Life – $313,003 ($158,985,087 total) {week 16}
29. Central Station – $270,564 ($3,828,556 total) {week 16}
32. Pleasantville – $237,928 ($40,020,034 total) {week 20}
33. The Thin Red Line – $226,776 ($35,514,198 total) {week 11}
34. A Simple Plan – $207,062 ($15,560,477 total) {week 13}
36. Gods and Monsters – $151,253 ($4,102,845 total) {week 18}
38. Tango – $138,654 ($383,376 total) {week 7}
39. Hilary and Jackie – $134,427 ($424,009 total) {week 10}
40. A Civil Action – $131,522 ($55,804,853 total) {week 11}
41. Little Voice – $110,836 ($4,320,701 total) {week 11}
54. Beloved – $55,582 ($22,802,816 total) {week 22}
60. Children of Heaven – $41,923 ($387,817 total) {week 7}
999. Dancemaker – $10,594 ($14,639 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

9. Shakespeare in Love – $5,292,331 ($103,747,951 total)
11. Life Is Beautiful – $3,081,753 ($48,222,501 total)
14. Saving Private Ryan – $1,884,852 ($331,788,158 total)
17. Elizabeth – $993,241 ($41,781,381 total)
19. Patch Adams – $807,631 ($210,320,139 total)
20. The Prince of Egypt – $682,768 ($156,320,804 total)
24. Affliction – $644,459 ($6,024,799 total)
25. Mighty Joe Young – $586,693 ($79,412,742 total)
28. A Bug’s Life – $500,928 ($254,438,732 total)
29. Central Station – $433,009 ($6,127,197 total)
32. Pleasantville – $380,778 ($64,047,810 total)
33. The Thin Red Line – $362,931 ($56,836,699 total)
34. A Simple Plan – $331,381 ($24,902,889 total)
36. Gods and Monsters – $242,064 ($6,566,167 total)
38. Tango – $221,901 ($613,553 total)
39. Hilary and Jackie – $215,136 ($678,581 total)
40. A Civil Action – $210,487 ($89,309,735 total)
41. Little Voice – $177,381 ($6,914,823 total)
54. Beloved – $88,953 ($36,493,483 total)
60. Children of Heaven – $67,093 ($620,660 total)
999. Dancemaker – $16,955 ($23,428 total)

Oscar Details:

• Affliction: Actor (Nick Nolte), Supporting Actor (James Coburn) [O]
• Beloved: Costume Design
• A Bug’s Life: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Central Station: Actress (Fernanda Montenegro), Foreign Language Film
• Children of Heaven: Foreign Language Film
• A Civil Action: Supporting Actor (Robert Duvall), Cinematography
• Dancemaker: Documentary Feature
• Elizabeth: Picture, Actress (Cate Blanchett), Original Dramatic Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup
• Gods and Monsters: Actor (Ian McKellen), Supporting Actress (Lynn Redgrave), Adapted Screenplay [O]
• Hilary and Jackie: Actress (Emily Watson), Supporting Actress (Rachel Griffiths)
• Life Is Beautiful: Picture, Director, Actor (Roberto Benigni) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O], Editing, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Little Voice: Supporting Actress (Brenda Blethyn)
• Mighty Joe Young: Visual Effects
• Patch Adams: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Pleasantville: Original Dramatic Score, Art Direction, Costume Design
• The Prince of Egypt: Original Song (“When You Believe”) [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Saving Private Ryan: Picture, Director [O], Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Makeup, Sound [O], Sound Effects [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
• A Simple Plan: Supporting Actor (Billy Bob Thornton), Adapted Screenplay
• Tango: Foreign Language Film
• The Thin Red Line: Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 11-13, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

5. Schindler’s List – $2,842,625 ($54,310,278 total) {week 13}
8. Mrs. Doubtfire – $2,320,204 ($203,570,019 total) {week 16}
15. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $1,325,357 ($5,299,639 total) {week 13}
17. In the Name of the Father – $1,213,940 ($19,010,817 total) {week 11}
18. Philadelphia – $1,095,984 ($62,635,419 total) {week 12}
999. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $138,486 ($138,486 total) {week 1}
999. Jurassic Park – $187,215 ($344,806,695 total) {week 40}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Schindler’s List – $5,528,838 ($105,632,191 total)
8. Mrs. Doubtfire – $4,512,741 ($395,938,817 total)
15. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $2,577,788 ($10,307,671 total)
17. In the Name of the Father – $2,361,084 ($36,975,584 total)
18. Philadelphia – $2,131,663 ($121,824,392 total)
999. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $269,352 ($269,352 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $364,129 ($670,640,773 total)

Oscar Details:

• Four Weddings and a Funeral: Picture, Original Screenplay
• In the Name of the Father: Picture, Director, Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), Supporting Actor (Pete Postlethwaite), Supporting Actress (Emma Thompson), Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Mrs. Doubtfire: Makeup [O]
• Philadelphia: Actor (Tom Hanks) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Philadelphia”), Original Song (“Streets of Philadelphia”) [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
• What’s Eating Gilbert Grape: Supporting Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 10-12, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

4. Chances Are – $3,664,386 ($3,664,386 total) {week 1}
6. Rain Man – $3,140,587 ($126,080,187 total) {week 13}
9. Dangerous Liaisons – $1,675,305 ($21,189,167 total) {week 12}
12. Beaches – $1,333,638 ($43,665,541 total) {week 12}
14. Working Girl – $1,174,720 ($54,243,125 total) {week 12}
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $597,400 ($597,400 total) {week 1}
999. Hanussen – $15,504 ($17,876 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Chances Are – $7,504,146 ($7,504,146 total)
6. Rain Man – $6,431,479 ($258,194,438 total)
9. Dangerous Liaisons – $3,430,788 ($43,392,425 total)
12. Beaches – $2,731,103 ($89,420,869 total)
14. Working Girl – $2,405,661 ($111,082,269 total)
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $1,223,391 ($1,223,391 total)
999. Hanussen – $31,750 ($36,608 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen : Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Visual Effects
• Beaches: Art Direction
• Chances Are: Original Score (“After All”)
• Dangerous Liaisons: Picture, Actress (Glenn Close), Supporting Actress (Michelle Pfeiffer), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O]
• Hanussen: Foreign Language Film
• Rain Man: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Dustin Hoffman) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction
• Working Girl: Picture, Director, Actress (Melanie Griffith), Supporting Actress (Joan Cusack), Supporting Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Original Song (“Let the River Run”) [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 9-11, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Splash – $6,174,059 ($6,174,059 total) {week 1}
2. Footloose – $5,476,656 ($31,591,292 total) {week 4}
3. Against All Odds – $3,371,182 ($8,305,137 total) {week 2}
6. Terms of Endearment – $1,883,893 ($87,437,122 total) {week 16}
999. Return of the Jedi – $69,828 ($252,452,593 total) {week 42}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Splash – $14,939,018 ($14,939,018 total)
2. Footloose – $13,251,552 ($76,439,644 total)
3. Against All Odds – $8,157,056 ($20,095,465 total)
6. Terms of Endearment – $4,558,348 ($211,566,608 total)
999. Return of the Jedi – $168,959 ($610,845,113 total)

Oscar Details:

• Against All Odds: Original Song (“Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)”)
• Footloose: Original Song (“Footloose”, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy”)
• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• Splash: Original Screenplay
• Terms of Endearment: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actress (Shirley MacLaine) [O], Actress (Debra Winger), Supporting Actor (John Lithgow), Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Art Direction, Sound