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

Cinderella (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Production Design, Costume Design.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 12-14, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

1. Coal Miner’s Daughter – $3,366,443 ($3,366,443 total) {week 1}
1. Alice in Wonderland – $92,714,076 ($209,339,432 total) {week 2}
7. Avatar – $6,526,421 ($730,270,443 total) {week 13}
12. Crazy Heart – $3,005,547 ($34,083,652 total) {week 13}
13. The Blind Side – $1,604,096 ($252,736,267 total) {week 17}
20. The Last Station – $442,600 ($5,292,337 total) {week 9}
21. The Wolfman – $404,630 ($61,453,000 total) {week 5}
22. Up in the Air – $265,305 ($83,465,355 total) {week 15}
23. The Princess and the Frog – $245,750 ($104,047,141 total) {week 16}
24. Sherlock Holmes – $238,410 ($207,401,207 total) {week 12}
25. A Prophet – $226,866 ($794,635 total) {week 3}
29. A Single Man – $160,917 ($8,823,998 total) {week 14}
30. An Education – $149,270 ($12,316,617 total) {week 23}
33. The Young Victoria – $106,262 ($10,626,759 total) {week 13}
34. The Lovely Bones – $93,000 ($43,982,842 total) {week 14}
36. The White Ribbon – $83,996 ($1,863,573 total) {week 11}
39. Precious – $65,502 ($47,536,959 total) {week 19}
40. Invictus – $65,151 ($37,431,431 total) {week 14}
49. Ajami – $40,006 ($389,219 total) {week 6}
53. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $33,021 ($20,905,882 total) {week 18}
57. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $19,703 ($239,194 total) {week 7}
58. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $18,726 ($7,544,348 total) {week 12}
60. The Messenger – $15,489 ($1,035,320 total) {week 18}
62. The Secret of Kells – $12,537 ($67,040 total) {week 2}
78. Nine – $3,161 ($19,673,424 total) {week 13}
95. The Cove – $120 ($854,940 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Coal Miner’s Daughter – $10,161,902 ($10,161,902 total)
1. Alice in Wonderland – $95,416,768 ($215,441,849 total)
7. Avatar – $6,716,672 ($751,558,428 total)
12. Crazy Heart – $3,093,161 ($35,077,219 total)
13. The Blind Side – $1,650,857 ($260,103,737 total)
20. The Last Station – $455,502 ($5,446,613 total)
21. The Wolfman – $416,425 ($63,244,406 total)
22. Up in the Air – $273,039 ($85,898,439 total)
23. The Princess and the Frog – $252,914 ($107,080,201 total)
24. Sherlock Holmes – $245,360 ($213,447,123 total)
25. A Prophet – $233,479 ($817,799 total)
29. A Single Man – $165,608 ($9,081,225 total)
30. An Education – $153,621 ($12,675,657 total)
33. The Young Victoria – $109,360 ($10,936,538 total)
34. The Lovely Bones – $95,711 ($45,264,978 total)
36. The White Ribbon – $86,445 ($1,917,898 total)
39. Precious – $67,411 ($48,922,701 total)
40. Invictus – $67,050 ($38,522,588 total)
49. Ajami – $41,172 ($400,565 total)
53. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $33,984 ($21,515,306 total)
57. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $20,277 ($246,167 total)
58. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $19,272 ($7,764,272 total)
60. The Messenger – $15,941 ($1,065,500 total)
62. The Secret of Kells – $12,902 ($68,994 total)
78. Nine – $3,253 ($20,246,921 total)
95. The Cove – $123 ($879,862 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]
• 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”)
• A Prophet: Foreign Language Film
• The Secret of Kells : Animated Feature
• 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 Mar. 18-20, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

8. Million Dollar Baby – $4,021,437 ($89,943,692 total) {week 14}
13. Sideways – $928,147 ($69,500,314 total) {week 22}
14. The Aviator – $899,062 ($100,444,305 total) {week 14}
17. Downfall – $590,498 ($1,387,295 total) {week 5}
19. Hotel Rwanda – $451,080 ($22,485,525 total) {week 13}
21. Finding Neverland – $355,984 ($51,099,764 total) {week 19}
23. Born Into Brothels – $330,194 ($2,002,934 total) {week 11}
25. Kinsey – $296,247 ($10,031,765 total) {week 19}
29. The Incredibles – $222,950 ($261,044,492 total) {week 20}
32. The Phantom of the Opera – $184,447 ($50,316,457 total) {week 13}
38. The Sea Inside – $108,343 ($1,651,791 total) {week 14}
44. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $85,870 ($118,352,845 total) {week 1}
48. Being Julia – $70,034 ($7,652,647 total) {week 23}
49. The Chorus – $67,474 ($1,146,515 total) {week 10}
53. House of Flying Daggers – $53,055 ($10,928,042 total) {week 16}
58. Vera Drake – $40,992 ($3,698,094 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. Million Dollar Baby – $5,094,238 ($113,938,031 total)
13. Sideways – $1,175,749 ($88,040,959 total)
14. The Aviator – $1,138,905 ($127,239,900 total)
17. Downfall – $748,026 ($1,757,385 total)
19. Hotel Rwanda – $571,415 ($28,484,004 total)
21. Finding Neverland – $450,950 ($64,731,682 total)
23. Born Into Brothels – $418,280 ($2,537,258 total)
25. Kinsey – $375,277 ($12,707,946 total)
29. The Incredibles – $282,427 ($330,683,506 total)
32. The Phantom of the Opera – $233,652 ($63,739,412 total)
38. The Sea Inside – $137,246 ($2,092,440 total)
44. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $108,778 ($149,925,913 total)
48. Being Julia – $88,717 ($9,694,149 total)
49. The Chorus – $85,474 ($1,452,372 total)
53. House of Flying Daggers – $67,209 ($13,843,323 total)
58. Vera Drake – $51,927 ($4,684,637 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 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

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 17-19, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

1. Erin Brockovich – $28,138,465 ($28,138,465 total) {week 1}
7. American Beauty – $3,159,322 ($103,007,991 total) {week 27}
8. The Cider House Rules – $2,477,000 ($45,778,857 total) {week 15}
16. The Sixth Sense – $1,280,780 ($288,477,004 total) {week 33}
17. Wonder Boys – $1,186,526 ($16,930,982 total) {week 4}
21. The Green Mile – $601,411 ($134,402,419 total) {week 15}
23. Boys Don’t Cry – $512,618 ($6,817,529 total) {week 24}
24. Stuart Little – $505,198 ($138,272,975 total) {week 14}
27. Sleepy Hollow – $400,168 ($99,859,790 total) {week 18}
29. Toy Story 2 – $308,602 ($241,878,319 total) {week 18}
32. The Hurricane – $200,030 ($49,783,016 total) {week 12}
35. Topsy-Turvy – $134,710 ($5,430,985 total) {week 14}
36. Sweet and Lowdown – $126,123 ($3,821,160 total) {week 16}
39. All About My Mother – $113,034 ($6,617,507 total) {week 20}
41. The Insider – $107,214 ($28,316,207 total) {week 20}
42. Angela’s Ashes – $103,430 ($12,714,711 total) {week 13}
46. Magnolia – $78,592 ($22,039,264 total) {week 14}
47. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $78,471 ($80,541,060 total) {week 13}
51. Being John Malkovich – $65,225 ($22,373,277 total) {week 21}
52. The Straight Story – $63,566 ($5,952,858 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Erin Brockovich – $42,390,415 ($42,390,415 total)
7. American Beauty – $4,759,498 ($155,180,870 total)
8. The Cider House Rules – $3,731,584 ($68,965,551 total)
16. The Sixth Sense – $1,929,487 ($434,588,733 total)
17. Wonder Boys – $1,787,494 ($25,506,414 total)
21. The Green Mile – $906,022 ($202,476,371 total)
23. Boys Don’t Cry – $772,256 ($10,270,563 total)
24. Stuart Little – $761,078 ($208,307,339 total)
27. Sleepy Hollow – $602,850 ($150,438,125 total)
29. Toy Story 2 – $464,907 ($364,388,117 total)
32. The Hurricane – $301,344 ($74,997,790 total)
35. Topsy-Turvy – $202,940 ($8,181,744 total)
36. Sweet and Lowdown – $190,003 ($5,756,553 total)
39. All About My Mother – $170,285 ($9,969,231 total)
41. The Insider – $161,517 ($42,658,182 total)
42. Angela’s Ashes – $155,817 ($19,154,630 total)
46. Magnolia – $118,398 ($33,202,008 total)
47. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $118,216 ($121,334,584 total)
51. Being John Malkovich – $98,261 ($33,705,197 total)
52. The Straight Story – $95,762 ($8,967,942 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
• Being John Malkovich: Director, Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), Original Screenplay
• 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
• Erin Brockovich: Picture, Directing, Actress (Julia Roberts) [O], Supporting Actor (Albert Finney), Original Screenplay
• 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
• 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
• 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 Mar. 17-19, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

7. Pulp Fiction – $2,009,183 ($91,565,384 total) {week 23}
9. Forrest Gump – $1,605,419 ($314,330,370 total) {week 37}
10. Roommates – $1,490,364 ($10,025,298 total) {week 1}
12. The Madness of King George – $911,765 ($10,798,224 total) {week 12}
13. The Shawshank Redemption – $875,446 ($23,507,831 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Pulp Fiction – $3,750,475 ($170,922,050 total)
9. Forrest Gump – $2,996,782 ($586,750,024 total)
10. Roommates – $2,782,013 ($18,713,890 total)
12. The Madness of King George – $1,701,961 ($20,156,685 total)
13. The Shawshank Redemption – $1,634,166 ($43,881,285 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 Madness of King George : Actor (Nigel Hawthorne), Supporting Actress (Helen Mirren), Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction [O]
• Pulp Fiction: Picture, Director, Actor (John Travolta), Supporting Actor (Samuel L. Jackson), Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), Original Screenplay [O], Editing
• Roommates: Makeup
• The Shawshank Redemption : Picture, Actor (Morgan Freeman), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 16-18, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Hunt for Red October – $11,077,359 ($53,926,439 total) {week 3}
6. Driving Miss Daisy – $2,874,332 ($69,545,080 total) {week 14}
10. Born on the Fourth of July – $1,241,150 ($63,590,514 total) {week 13}
999. Cinema Paradiso – $143,402 ($950,572 total) {week 7}
999. Glory – $661,545 ($22,440,211 total) {week 14}
999. My Left Foot – $701,011 ($7,772,698 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Hunt for Red October – $21,264,339 ($103,518,365 total)
6. Driving Miss Daisy – $5,517,630 ($133,500,248 total)
10. Born on the Fourth of July – $2,382,539 ($122,069,734 total)
999. Cinema Paradiso – $275,278 ($1,824,739 total)
999. Glory – $1,269,916 ($43,076,717 total)
999. My Left Foot – $1,345,676 ($14,920,640 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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 Hunt for Red October: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• My Left Foot: Picture, Director, Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) [O], Supporting Actress (Brenda Fricker) [O], Adapted Screenplay

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 15-17, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Beverly Hills Cop – $4,614,165 ($186,507,348 total) {week 15}
2. Witness – $4,419,527 ($37,659,033 total) {week 6}
6. The Killing Fields – $1,566,481 ($25,430,033 total) {week 20}
10. A Passage to India – $1,077,553 ($23,368,194 total) {week 14}
11. Amadeus – $916,131 ($32,660,111 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Beverly Hills Cop – $10,554,090 ($426,602,723 total)
2. Witness – $10,108,890 ($86,138,408 total)
6. The Killing Fields – $3,583,049 ($58,166,723 total)
10. A Passage to India – $2,464,713 ($53,450,630 total)
11. Amadeus – $2,095,488 ($74,704,254 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