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

None

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 19-21, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

1. Alice in Wonderland – $34,189,969 ($265,433,637 total) {week 3}
8. Avatar – $4,027,005 ($736,907,957 total) {week 14}
15. Crazy Heart – $1,395,387 ($36,430,281 total) {week 14}
17. The Blind Side – $877,736 ($254,273,981 total) {week 18}
21. Sherlock Holmes – $405,443 ($207,902,824 total) {week 13}
24. The Last Station – $261,509 ($5,718,005 total) {week 10}
28. A Prophet – $207,458 ($1,089,225 total) {week 4}
29. The Wolfman – $153,675 ($61,776,925 total) {week 6}
31. The Princess and the Frog – $117,847 ($104,281,929 total) {week 17}
32. Up in the Air – $107,709 ($83,675,267 total) {week 16}
37. A Single Man – $73,766 ($8,964,864 total) {week 15}
38. An Education – $70,769 ($12,440,758 total) {week 24}
40. The Young Victoria – $54,363 ($10,732,641 total) {week 14}
44. The White Ribbon – $48,819 ($1,957,029 total) {week 12}
52. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $22,522 ($20,947,939 total) {week 19}
54. Invictus – $20,248 ($37,479,778 total) {week 15}
55. The Secret of Kells – $19,787 ($90,911 total) {week 3}
56. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $19,309 ($266,424 total) {week 8}
60. Ajami – $18,213 ($420,221 total) {week 7}
66. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $12,707 ($7,566,622 total) {week 13}
68. The Messenger – $10,989 ($1,057,706 total) {week 19}
100. The Cove – $501 ($857,005 total) {week 27}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Alice in Wonderland – $35,186,635 ($273,171,246 total)
8. Avatar – $4,144,396 ($758,389,431 total)
15. Crazy Heart – $1,436,064 ($37,492,254 total)
17. The Blind Side – $903,323 ($261,686,277 total)
21. Sherlock Holmes – $417,262 ($213,963,363 total)
24. The Last Station – $269,132 ($5,884,690 total)
28. A Prophet – $213,506 ($1,120,977 total)
29. The Wolfman – $158,155 ($63,577,773 total)
31. The Princess and the Frog – $121,282 ($107,321,833 total)
32. Up in the Air – $110,849 ($86,114,470 total)
37. A Single Man – $75,916 ($9,226,197 total)
38. An Education – $72,832 ($12,803,416 total)
40. The Young Victoria – $55,948 ($11,045,506 total)
44. The White Ribbon – $50,242 ($2,014,078 total)
52. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $23,179 ($21,558,589 total)
54. Invictus – $20,838 ($38,572,344 total)
55. The Secret of Kells – $20,364 ($93,561 total)
56. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $19,872 ($274,190 total)
60. Ajami – $18,744 ($432,471 total)
66. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $13,077 ($7,787,195 total)
68. The Messenger – $11,309 ($1,088,539 total)
100. The Cove – $516 ($881,987 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 Messenger : Supporting Actor (Woody Harrelson), Original Screenplay
• The Most Dangerous Man in America : Documentary Feature
• 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. 25-27, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

10. Million Dollar Baby – $2,587,313 ($94,133,278 total) {week 15}
15. Sideways – $578,495 ($70,437,851 total) {week 23}
16. Downfall – $553,538 ($2,207,036 total) {week 6}
19. The Aviator – $461,719 ($101,270,465 total) {week 15}
24. Hotel Rwanda – $262,064 ($22,954,356 total) {week 14}
25. Born Into Brothels – $255,334 ($2,407,081 total) {week 12}
28. Finding Neverland – $141,911 ($51,390,468 total) {week 20}
31. The Incredibles – $138,126 ($261,289,607 total) {week 21}
36. The Phantom of the Opera – $96,487 ($50,524,639 total) {week 14}
42. The Sea Inside – $76,210 ($1,783,831 total) {week 15}
46. Kinsey – $71,703 ($10,214,647 total) {week 20}
49. The Chorus – $64,545 ($1,243,100 total) {week 11}
51. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $59,596 ($118,461,298 total) {week 1}
57. House of Flying Daggers – $47,985 ($11,000,206 total) {week 17}
68. Vera Drake – $28,603 ($3,753,806 total) {week 25}
70. Being Julia – $26,159 ($7,714,718 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

10. Million Dollar Baby – $3,277,532 ($119,245,276 total)
15. Sideways – $732,820 ($89,228,604 total)
16. Downfall – $701,206 ($2,795,808 total)
19. The Aviator – $584,892 ($128,286,455 total)
24. Hotel Rwanda – $331,975 ($29,077,905 total)
25. Born Into Brothels – $323,450 ($3,049,220 total)
28. Finding Neverland – $179,769 ($65,099,938 total)
31. The Incredibles – $174,974 ($330,994,011 total)
36. The Phantom of the Opera – $122,227 ($64,003,131 total)
42. The Sea Inside – $96,541 ($2,259,705 total)
46. Kinsey – $90,831 ($12,939,615 total)
49. The Chorus – $81,764 ($1,574,723 total)
51. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $75,494 ($150,063,298 total)
57. House of Flying Daggers – $60,786 ($13,934,738 total)
68. Vera Drake – $36,233 ($4,755,211 total)
70. Being Julia – $33,137 ($9,772,778 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. 24-26, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

1. Erin Brockovich – $18,545,755 ($55,854,440 total) {week 2}
7. American Beauty – $4,024,983 ($108,468,063 total) {week 28}
9. The Cider House Rules – $2,799,556 ($49,636,626 total) {week 16}
13. The Sixth Sense – $1,280,345 ($290,288,427 total) {week 34}
17. Boys Don’t Cry – $695,333 ($7,802,635 total) {week 25}
19. Wonder Boys – $606,017 ($17,927,842 total) {week 5}
22. The Green Mile – $455,807 ($135,051,414 total) {week 16}
23. Stuart Little – $402,894 ($138,783,430 total) {week 15}
28. Sleepy Hollow – $241,841 ($100,266,421 total) {week 19}
30. Toy Story 2 – $218,854 ($242,221,297 total) {week 19}
31. The Hurricane – $206,815 ($50,087,246 total) {week 13}
32. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $202,464 ($80,776,109 total) {week 14}
37. All About My Mother – $149,624 ($6,820,841 total) {week 21}
40. Topsy-Turvy – $113,746 ($5,598,454 total) {week 15}
41. The Insider – $110,658 ($28,481,336 total) {week 21}
42. Sweet and Lowdown – $103,823 ($3,989,314 total) {week 17}
43. Being John Malkovich – $90,782 ($22,500,727 total) {week 22}
45. Magnolia – $86,773 ($22,170,358 total) {week 15}
49. The Straight Story – $60,235 ($6,038,937 total) {week 24}
54. Titus – $50,266 ($1,529,216 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Erin Brockovich – $27,939,059 ($84,144,351 total)
7. American Beauty – $6,063,611 ($163,406,433 total)
9. The Cider House Rules – $4,217,513 ($74,777,255 total)
13. The Sixth Sense – $1,928,831 ($437,317,630 total)
17. Boys Don’t Cry – $1,047,515 ($11,754,619 total)
19. Wonder Boys – $912,961 ($27,008,178 total)
22. The Green Mile – $686,670 ($203,454,078 total)
23. Stuart Little – $606,957 ($209,076,336 total)
28. Sleepy Hollow – $364,332 ($151,050,712 total)
30. Toy Story 2 – $329,702 ($364,904,811 total)
31. The Hurricane – $311,565 ($75,456,111 total)
32. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $305,011 ($121,688,684 total)
37. All About My Mother – $225,408 ($10,275,553 total)
40. Topsy-Turvy – $171,358 ($8,434,035 total)
41. The Insider – $166,706 ($42,906,948 total)
42. Sweet and Lowdown – $156,409 ($6,009,876 total)
43. Being John Malkovich – $136,762 ($33,897,199 total)
45. Magnolia – $130,723 ($33,399,500 total)
49. The Straight Story – $90,744 ($9,097,619 total)
54. Titus – $75,725 ($2,303,754 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
• 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
• Titus: 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. 24-26, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

9. Pulp Fiction – $2,510,260 ($95,069,344 total) {week 24}
10. Forrest Gump – $1,985,988 ($317,108,629 total) {week 38}
15. The Shawshank Redemption – $853,694 ($24,774,217 total) {week 27}
999. Quiz Show – $47,820 ($24,342,899 total) {week 28}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

9. Pulp Fiction – $4,685,819 ($177,462,775 total)
10. Forrest Gump – $3,707,178 ($591,936,107 total)
15. The Shawshank Redemption – $1,593,562 ($46,245,205 total)
999. Quiz Show – $89,264 ($45,440,078 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]
• Pulp Fiction: Picture, Director, Actor (John Travolta), Supporting Actor (Samuel L. Jackson), Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), Original Screenplay [O], Editing
• Quiz Show: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Paul Scofield), Adapted Screenplay
• The Shawshank Redemption : Picture, Actor (Morgan Freeman), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 23-25, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Pretty Woman – $11,280,591 ($11,280,591 total) {week 1}
2. The Hunt for Red October – $9,111,680 ($67,287,859 total) {week 4}
4. Driving Miss Daisy – $3,682,465 ($74,523,531 total) {week 15}
9. Born on the Fourth of July – $1,324,680 ($65,441,414 total) {week 14}
14. My Left Foot – $800,502 ($8,773,422 total) {week 20}
999. Cinema Paradiso – $184,715 ($1,213,487 total) {week 8}
999. Glory – $537,900 ($23,235,499 total) {week 15}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Pretty Woman – $21,654,468 ($21,654,468 total)
2. The Hunt for Red October – $17,490,979 ($129,167,238 total)
4. Driving Miss Daisy – $7,068,940 ($143,056,991 total)
9. Born on the Fourth of July – $2,542,885 ($125,622,762 total)
14. My Left Foot – $1,536,661 ($16,841,652 total)
999. Cinema Paradiso – $354,583 ($2,329,436 total)
999. Glory – $1,032,565 ($44,603,369 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
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Mar. 22-24, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

3. Mask – $6,121,129 ($6,256,628 total) {week 3}
6. Beverly Hills Cop – $3,862,909 ($191,865,615 total) {week 16}
7. Witness – $3,754,331 ($42,956,090 total) {week 7}
10. The Killing Fields – $1,501,758 ($27,617,095 total) {week 21}
11. Amadeus – $1,405,027 ($34,518,627 total) {week 27}
12. A Passage to India – $1,081,601 ($24,816,971 total) {week 15}
14. The Purple Rose of Cairo – $925,321 ($1,039,416 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Mask – $14,001,005 ($14,310,935 total)
6. Beverly Hills Cop – $8,835,724 ($438,858,815 total)
7. Witness – $8,587,371 ($98,254,493 total)
10. The Killing Fields – $3,435,007 ($63,169,243 total)
11. Amadeus – $3,213,752 ($78,955,282 total)
12. A Passage to India – $2,473,972 ($56,764,452 total)
14. The Purple Rose of Cairo – $2,116,509 ($2,377,481 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]
• Mask: Makeup [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
• The Purple Rose of Cairo: Original Screenplay
• Witness: Picture, Directing, Actor (Harrison Ford), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing [O], Art Direction