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

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

Belle (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Production Design, Costume Design.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 1-3, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

38. Paris 36 – $65,691 ($620,150 total) {week 5}
45. Coraline – $52,485 ($75,008,798 total) {week 13}
49. Slumdog Millionaire – $37,194 ($141,243,551 total) {week 25}
54. The Class – $29,091 ($3,689,643 total) {week 20}
55. Il Divo – $28,284 ($50,460 total) {week 2}
62. Revanche – $16,330 ($16,330 total) {week 1}
65. The Reader – $13,546 ($34,180,954 total) {week 21}
74. The Wrestler – $7,171 ($26,228,387 total) {week 20}
77. 12 – $6,709 ($106,941 total) {week 9}
78. The Garden – $6,597 ($12,459 total) {week 2}
88. Katyn – $3,110 ($108,638 total) {week 11}
105. Waltz with Bashir – $675 ($2,276,873 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

38. Paris 36 – $71,209 ($672,243 total)
45. Coraline – $56,894 ($81,309,537 total)
49. Slumdog Millionaire – $40,318 ($153,108,009 total)
54. The Class – $31,535 ($3,999,573 total)
55. Il Divo – $30,660 ($54,699 total)
62. Revanche – $17,702 ($17,702 total)
65. The Reader – $14,684 ($37,052,154 total)
74. The Wrestler – $7,773 ($28,431,572 total)
77. 12 – $7,273 ($115,924 total)
78. The Garden – $7,151 ($13,506 total)
88. Katyn – $3,371 ($117,764 total)
105. Waltz with Bashir – $732 ($2,468,130 total)

Oscar Details:

• 12: Foreign Language Film
• The Class: Foreign Language Film
• Coraline: Animated Feature
• Il Divo: Makeup
• The Garden: Documentary Feature
• Katyn: Foreign Language Film
• Paris 36: Original Song (“Loin de Paname”)
• The Reader: Picture, Director, Actress (Kate Winslet) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography
• Revanche: Foreign Language Film
• 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
• Waltz with Bashir: Foreign Language Film
• The Wrestler: Actor (Mickey Rourke), Supporting Actress (Marisa Tomei)

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Apr. 30-May 2, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

15. The Passion of the Christ – $1,407,651 ($366,685,267 total) {week 10}
18. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $807,263 ($30,928,429 total) {week 7}
35. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $154,631 ($376,556,583 total) {week 20}
36. Mystic River – $152,372 ($89,967,416 total) {week 30}
56. The Triplets of Belleville – $46,096 ($6,798,854 total) {week 23}
59. My Architect – $42,287 ($2,391,476 total) {week 25}
67. Big Fish – $33,216 ($66,741,614 total) {week 21}
72. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $25,969 ($11,634,362 total) {week 21}
78. The Fog of War – $22,081 ($4,140,344 total) {week 20}
79. The Twilight Samurai – $21,797 ($33,891 total) {week 2}
86. Monster – $17,137 ($34,413,615 total) {week 19}
97. City of God – $9,726 ($7,496,602 total) {week 68}
99. In America – $8,731 ($15,502,057 total) {week 23}
101. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $8,441 ($93,917,946 total) {week 25}
105. Cold Mountain – $7,212 ($95,365,914 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

15. The Passion of the Christ – $3,565,172 ($928,707,545 total)
18. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $2,044,563 ($78,332,750 total)
35. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $391,636 ($953,708,729 total)
36. Mystic River – $385,914 ($227,861,399 total)
56. The Triplets of Belleville – $116,748 ($17,219,527 total)
59. My Architect – $107,101 ($6,056,916 total)
67. Big Fish – $84,127 ($169,037,172 total)
72. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $65,772 ($29,466,468 total)
78. The Fog of War – $55,925 ($10,486,292 total)
79. The Twilight Samurai – $55,205 ($85,836 total)
86. Monster – $43,403 ($87,159,716 total)
97. City of God – $24,633 ($18,986,721 total)
99. In America – $22,113 ($39,262,219 total)
101. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $21,379 ($237,866,947 total)
105. Cold Mountain – $18,266 ($241,534,231 total)

Oscar Details:

• Big Fish: Original Score
• 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
• 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
• In America: Actress (Samantha Morton), Supporting Actor (Djimon Hounsou), Original Screenplay
• 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]
• 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
• The Triplets of Belleville: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Belleville Rendez-vous”)
• The Twilight Samurai: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Apr. 30-May 2, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Matrix – $8,715,866 ($129,715,015 total) {week 5}
3. Life – $6,481,175 ($46,260,375 total) {week 3}
14. Life Is Beautiful – $831,732 ($53,072,604 total) {week 28}
15. Shakespeare in Love – $825,962 ($92,887,782 total) {week 21}
24. Saving Private Ryan – $268,659 ($215,406,153 total) {week 41}
26. Election – $245,582 ($419,087 total) {week 2}
29. The Prince of Egypt – $166,804 ($101,015,851 total) {week 20}
41. A Bug’s Life – $84,590 ($162,698,584 total) {week 24}
44. Patch Adams – $80,080 ($134,797,250 total) {week 19}
51. Central Station – $71,031 ($5,862,993 total) {week 24}
55. Elizabeth – $60,280 ($29,946,106 total) {week 26}
56. A Simple Plan – $59,406 ($16,245,186 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Matrix – $13,948,817 ($207,595,093 total)
3. Life – $10,372,432 ($74,034,813 total)
14. Life Is Beautiful – $1,331,099 ($84,937,061 total)
15. Shakespeare in Love – $1,321,864 ($148,657,021 total)
24. Saving Private Ryan – $429,960 ($344,734,650 total)
26. Election – $393,028 ($670,704 total)
29. The Prince of Egypt – $266,952 ($161,665,132 total)
41. A Bug’s Life – $135,377 ($260,381,789 total)
44. Patch Adams – $128,160 ($215,728,670 total)
51. Central Station – $113,678 ($9,383,097 total)
55. Elizabeth – $96,472 ($47,925,559 total)
56. A Simple Plan – $95,073 ($25,998,693 total)

Oscar Details:

• A Bug’s Life: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Central Station: Actress (Fernanda Montenegro), Foreign Language Film
• Election: Adapted Screenplay
• Elizabeth: Picture, Actress (Cate Blanchett), Original Dramatic Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup
• Life: Makeup
• Life Is Beautiful: Picture, Director, Actor (Roberto Benigni) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O], Editing, Foreign Language Film [O]
• The Matrix : Editing [O], Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Patch Adams: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• 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

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 6-8, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

2. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $3,645,515 ($28,975,823 total) {week 9}
9. Schindler’s List – $1,129,050 ($89,595,683 total) {week 21}
10. The Paper – $1,119,460 ($32,663,445 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $7,090,439 ($56,357,283 total)
9. Schindler’s List – $2,195,975 ($174,261,460 total)
10. The Paper – $2,177,323 ($63,529,619 total)

Oscar Details:

• Four Weddings and a Funeral: Picture, Original Screenplay
• The Paper : Original Song (“Make Up Your Mind”)
• 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

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 5-7, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

3. Field of Dreams – $5,424,810 ($8,360,252 total) {week 3}
9. Rain Man – $1,586,090 ($160,400,737 total) {week 21}
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $269,424 ($5,993,516 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Field of Dreams – $11,109,246 ($17,120,617 total)
9. Rain Man – $3,248,089 ($328,478,084 total)
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $551,742 ($12,273,875 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen : Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Visual Effects
• Field of Dreams: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score
• Rain Man: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Dustin Hoffman) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 4-6, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

3. Romancing the Stone – $4,012,150 ($40,187,726 total) {week 6}
7. Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes – $2,121,097 ($35,525,104 total) {week 6}
8. Splash – $1,885,403 ($55,082,365 total) {week 9}
10. Footloose – $1,683,727 ($66,153,124 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Romancing the Stone – $9,707,970 ($97,239,944 total)
7. Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes – $5,132,297 ($85,958,064 total)
8. Splash – $4,562,002 ($133,279,651 total)
10. Footloose – $4,074,018 ($160,066,934 total)

Oscar Details:

• Footloose: Original Song (“Footloose”, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy”)
• Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes: Supporting Actor (Ralph Richardson), Adapted Screenplay, Makeup
• Romancing the Stone: Editing
• Splash: Original Screenplay