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

Muppets Most Wanted (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Original Song.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 20-22, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

8. Slumdog Millionaire – $2,676,369 ($137,178,177 total) {week 19}
10. Coraline – $2,130,746 ($72,841,173 total) {week 7}
18. The Reader – $535,983 ($32,900,557 total) {week 15}
22. The Class – $206,232 ($2,792,008 total) {week 14}
28. The Wrestler – $166,972 ($25,792,774 total) {week 14}
29. Doubt – $149,360 ($33,172,718 total) {week 15}
35. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $123,045 ($126,759,635 total) {week 13}
39. Revolutionary Road – $111,319 ($22,754,434 total) {week 13}
42. Milk – $79,518 ($31,716,847 total) {week 17}
44. Defiance – $67,367 ($28,390,983 total) {week 12}
45. Frost/Nixon – $62,225 ($18,593,156 total) {week 16}
58. Waltz with Bashir – $24,435 ($2,180,986 total) {week 13}
66. Rachel Getting Married – $13,154 ($12,779,409 total) {week 25}
83. Katyn – $5,426 ($70,479 total) {week 5}
84. 12 – $5,089 ($40,531 total) {week 3}
89. Australia – $3,588 ($49,551,662 total) {week 17}
100. Trouble the Water – $978 ($518,004 total) {week 31}
103. The Betrayal – $777 ($33,943 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. Slumdog Millionaire – $2,901,184 ($148,701,144 total)
10. Coraline – $2,309,729 ($78,959,832 total)
18. The Reader – $581,006 ($35,664,204 total)
22. The Class – $223,555 ($3,026,537 total)
28. The Wrestler – $180,998 ($27,959,367 total)
29. Doubt – $161,906 ($35,959,226 total)
35. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – $133,381 ($137,407,444 total)
39. Revolutionary Road – $120,670 ($24,665,806 total)
42. Milk – $86,198 ($34,381,062 total)
44. Defiance – $73,026 ($30,775,826 total)
45. Frost/Nixon – $67,452 ($20,154,981 total)
58. Waltz with Bashir – $26,488 ($2,364,189 total)
66. Rachel Getting Married – $14,259 ($13,852,879 total)
83. Katyn – $5,882 ($76,399 total)
84. 12 – $5,516 ($43,936 total)
89. Australia – $3,889 ($53,714,002 total)
100. Trouble the Water – $1,060 ($561,516 total)
103. The Betrayal – $842 ($36,794 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
• 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. Mar. 19-21, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Passion of the Christ – $19,414,377 ($295,507,244 total) {week 4}
7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $8,175,198 ($8,175,198 total) {week 1}
11. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $1,350,748 ($373,359,557 total) {week 14}
16. Monster – $676,870 ($33,390,494 total) {week 13}
17. Mystic River – $634,388 ($88,284,152 total) {week 24}
24. Something’s Gotta Give – $221,982 ($124,376,112 total) {week 15}
25. Cold Mountain – $214,684 ($95,042,960 total) {week 13}
28. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $198,182 ($10,783,851 total) {week 15}
29. The Triplets of Belleville – $195,610 ($6,007,873 total) {week 17}
34. The Fog of War – $155,451 ($3,599,247 total) {week 14}
35. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $148,656 ($93,374,871 total) {week 19}
36. In America – $139,039 ($15,192,296 total) {week 17}
41. My Architect – $96,329 ($1,785,849 total) {week 19}
42. The Last Samurai – $90,896 ($110,947,183 total) {week 16}
48. House of Sand and Fog – $74,500 ($12,924,917 total) {week 14}
51. City of God – $53,879 ($7,299,820 total) {week 62}
53. Lost in Translation – $42,950 ($44,566,004 total) {week 28}
55. Brother Bear – $41,755 ($85,234,177 total) {week 22}
56. 21 Grams – $41,088 ($16,248,701 total) {week 18}
60. The Cooler – $30,725 ($8,243,880 total) {week 17}
121. The Weather Underground – $1,200 ($543,125 total) {week 42}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Passion of the Christ – $49,170,992 ($748,434,235 total)
7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $20,705,408 ($20,705,408 total)
11. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $3,421,053 ($945,611,588 total)
16. Monster – $1,714,316 ($84,568,447 total)
17. Mystic River – $1,606,721 ($223,598,179 total)
24. Something’s Gotta Give – $562,216 ($315,008,657 total)
25. Cold Mountain – $543,732 ($240,716,282 total)
28. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $501,938 ($27,312,370 total)
29. The Triplets of Belleville – $495,423 ($15,216,202 total)
34. The Fog of War – $393,712 ($9,115,850 total)
35. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $376,503 ($236,491,496 total)
36. In America – $352,146 ($38,477,684 total)
41. My Architect – $243,973 ($4,523,038 total)
42. The Last Samurai – $230,213 ($280,997,071 total)
48. House of Sand and Fog – $188,687 ($32,735,070 total)
51. City of God – $136,460 ($18,488,329 total)
53. Lost in Translation – $108,780 ($112,872,776 total)
55. Brother Bear – $105,753 ($215,873,476 total)
56. 21 Grams – $104,064 ($41,153,252 total)
60. The Cooler – $77,818 ($20,879,360 total)
121. The Weather Underground – $3,039 ($1,375,578 total)

Oscar Details:

• 21 Grams: Actress (Naomi Watts), Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro)
• 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)
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Actress (Kate Winslet), Original Screenplay [O]
• 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”)
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 19-21, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

9. Shakespeare in Love – $2,975,498 ($73,192,745 total) {week 15}
12. Life Is Beautiful – $2,234,686 ($35,990,202 total) {week 22}
17. Saving Private Ryan – $1,060,406 ($210,213,533 total) {week 35}
21. Patch Adams – $625,105 ($132,523,485 total) {week 13}
22. Elizabeth – $610,832 ($27,857,636 total) {week 20}
26. A Bug’s Life – $344,384 ($159,906,607 total) {week 18}
30. Affliction – $277,500 ($4,792,678 total) {week 12}
31. Central Station – $266,073 ($4,617,940 total) {week 18}
33. Gods and Monsters – $227,362 ($4,706,673 total) {week 20}
35. Mighty Joe Young – $217,399 ($50,342,330 total) {week 13}
41. Tango – $134,688 ($814,999 total) {week 9}
42. Hilary and Jackie – $133,112 ($4,600,661 total) {week 12}
43. The Prince of Egypt – $121,018 ($98,411,175 total) {week 14}
44. Pleasantville – $117,408 ($40,474,152 total) {week 22}
45. The Thin Red Line – $113,284 ($35,948,029 total) {week 13}
50. A Simple Plan – $59,405 ($15,847,710 total) {week 15}
52. Children of Heaven – $47,986 ($533,699 total) {week 9}
53. Little Voice – $44,960 ($4,556,387 total) {week 13}
55. The Red Violin – $38,159 ($1,977,852 total) {week 21}
56. A Civil Action – $37,771 ($55,987,961 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

9. Shakespeare in Love – $4,761,968 ($117,137,208 total)
12. Life Is Beautiful – $3,576,377 ($57,598,493 total)
17. Saving Private Ryan – $1,697,067 ($336,424,414 total)
21. Patch Adams – $1,000,414 ($212,089,751 total)
22. Elizabeth – $977,572 ($44,583,185 total)
26. A Bug’s Life – $551,150 ($255,913,527 total)
30. Affliction – $444,109 ($7,670,172 total)
31. Central Station – $425,822 ($7,390,522 total)
33. Gods and Monsters – $363,869 ($7,532,530 total)
35. Mighty Joe Young – $347,924 ($80,567,548 total)
41. Tango – $215,554 ($1,304,319 total)
42. Hilary and Jackie – $213,032 ($7,362,869 total)
43. The Prince of Egypt – $193,676 ($157,496,625 total)
44. Pleasantville – $187,899 ($64,774,578 total)
45. The Thin Red Line – $181,299 ($57,530,999 total)
50. A Simple Plan – $95,071 ($25,362,575 total)
52. Children of Heaven – $76,796 ($854,129 total)
53. Little Voice – $71,954 ($7,292,013 total)
55. The Red Violin – $61,069 ($3,165,342 total)
56. A Civil Action – $60,448 ($89,602,780 total)

Oscar Details:

• Affliction: Actor (Nick Nolte), Supporting Actor (James Coburn) [O]
• 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
• 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
• The Red Violin : Original Score [O]
• 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. 25-27, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

3. The Paper – $7,005,640 ($7,256,295 total) {week 2}
4. Schindler’s List – $5,698,045 ($68,354,543 total) {week 15}
8. Philadelphia – $1,941,168 ($66,821,922 total) {week 14}
10. Mrs. Doubtfire – $1,891,187 ($208,689,169 total) {week 18}
18. In the Name of the Father – $827,755 ($22,074,212 total) {week 13}
20. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $672,675 ($7,809,955 total) {week 15}
999. Jurassic Park – $186,615 ($345,316,275 total) {week 42}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. The Paper – $13,625,802 ($14,113,320 total)
4. Schindler’s List – $11,082,561 ($132,947,951 total)
8. Philadelphia – $3,775,525 ($129,967,040 total)
10. Mrs. Doubtfire – $3,678,313 ($405,895,441 total)
18. In the Name of the Father – $1,609,964 ($42,933,814 total)
20. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – $1,308,337 ($15,190,176 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $362,962 ($671,631,894 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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]
• The Paper : Original Song (“Make Up Your Mind”)
• 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. 24-26, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

3. Rain Man – $3,003,521 ($134,676,210 total) {week 15}
8. Chances Are – $2,165,800 ($10,413,267 total) {week 3}
11. Dangerous Liaisons – $1,352,197 ($25,013,149 total) {week 14}
15. Working Girl – $948,407 ($56,841,879 total) {week 14}
16. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $820,286 ($2,297,686 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Rain Man – $6,150,787 ($275,797,881 total)
8. Chances Are – $4,435,253 ($21,324,902 total)
11. Dangerous Liaisons – $2,769,109 ($51,223,401 total)
15. Working Girl – $1,942,204 ($116,404,150 total)
16. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $1,679,830 ($4,705,337 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen : Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Visual Effects
• 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]
• 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. 23-25, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

2. Splash – $6,667,242 ($23,878,948 total) {week 3}
3. Footloose – $4,420,411 ($43,998,844 total) {week 6}
6. Against All Odds – $2,218,270 ($15,151,023 total) {week 4}
9. Terms of Endearment – $1,258,295 ($91,663,512 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Splash – $16,132,344 ($57,778,526 total)
3. Footloose – $10,695,816 ($106,461,489 total)
6. Against All Odds – $5,367,421 ($36,660,065 total)
9. Terms of Endearment – $3,044,625 ($221,792,962 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”)
• 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