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 Double (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Adapted Screenplay, Production Design.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 8-10, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

1. Star Trek – $75,204,289 ($79,204,289 total) {week 1}
47. Paris 36 – $45,179 ($696,384 total) {week 6}
50. Coraline – $36,429 ($75,064,490 total) {week 14}
59. Slumdog Millionaire – $24,353 ($141,286,770 total) {week 26}
61. Il Divo – $21,713 ($86,535 total) {week 3}
64. Revanche – $16,215 ($40,164 total) {week 2}
65. The Class – $16,152 ($3,723,932 total) {week 21}
79. The Reader – $4,366 ($34,192,652 total) {week 22}
83. The Wrestler – $3,666 ($26,236,603 total) {week 21}
90. Waltz with Bashir – $2,987 ($2,283,276 total) {week 20}
98. The Garden – $2,170 ($16,629 total) {week 3}
111. 12 – $846 ($110,978 total) {week 10}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Star Trek – $81,521,449 ($85,857,449 total)
47. Paris 36 – $48,974 ($754,880 total)
50. Coraline – $39,489 ($81,369,907 total)
59. Slumdog Millionaire – $26,399 ($153,154,859 total)
61. Il Divo – $23,537 ($93,804 total)
64. Revanche – $17,577 ($43,538 total)
65. The Class – $17,509 ($4,036,742 total)
79. The Reader – $4,733 ($37,064,835 total)
83. The Wrestler – $3,974 ($28,440,478 total)
90. Waltz with Bashir – $3,238 ($2,475,071 total)
98. The Garden – $2,352 ($18,026 total)
111. 12 – $917 ($120,300 total)

Oscar Details:

• 12: Foreign Language Film
• The Class: Foreign Language Film
• Coraline: Animated Feature
• Il Divo: Makeup
• The Garden: Documentary Feature
• 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
• Star Trek: Makeup [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Waltz with Bashir: Foreign Language Film
• The Wrestler: Actor (Mickey Rourke), Supporting Actress (Marisa Tomei)

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 7-9, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

15. The Passion of the Christ – $785,369 ($368,027,248 total) {week 11}
16. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $565,671 ($31,721,817 total) {week 8}
20. Super Size Me – $516,641 ($516,641 total) {week 1}
38. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $103,709 ($376,716,328 total) {week 21}
59. Mystic River – $44,481 ($90,050,414 total) {week 31}
63. My Architect – $39,056 ($2,445,830 total) {week 26}
68. The Triplets of Belleville – $35,382 ($6,854,976 total) {week 24}
72. The Fog of War – $28,145 ($4,176,016 total) {week 21}
79. Big Fish – $21,638 ($66,774,751 total) {week 22}
80. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $21,326 ($11,670,971 total) {week 22}
84. The Twilight Samurai – $18,726 ($63,711 total) {week 3}
98. Monster – $10,899 ($34,431,442 total) {week 20}
101. City of God – $9,618 ($7,511,110 total) {week 69}
109. In America – $6,890 ($15,512,566 total) {week 24}
116. Cold Mountain – $5,674 ($95,373,984 total) {week 20}
120. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $5,130 ($93,926,386 total) {week 26}
155. The Weather Underground – $400 ($557,668 total) {week 49}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

15. The Passion of the Christ – $1,989,112 ($932,106,394 total)
16. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $1,432,681 ($80,342,172 total)
20. Super Size Me – $1,308,502 ($1,308,502 total)
38. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $262,665 ($954,113,317 total)
59. Mystic River – $112,657 ($228,071,609 total)
63. My Architect – $98,918 ($6,194,579 total)
68. The Triplets of Belleville – $89,612 ($17,361,668 total)
72. The Fog of War – $71,283 ($10,576,639 total)
79. Big Fish – $54,803 ($169,121,098 total)
80. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $54,013 ($29,559,188 total)
84. The Twilight Samurai – $47,428 ($161,362 total)
98. Monster – $27,604 ($87,204,867 total)
101. City of God – $24,360 ($19,023,466 total)
109. In America – $17,450 ($39,288,835 total)
116. Cold Mountain – $14,371 ($241,554,670 total)
120. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $12,993 ($237,888,323 total)
155. The Weather Underground – $1,013 ($1,412,411 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
• Super Size Me : Documentary Feature
• The Triplets of Belleville: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Belleville Rendez-vous”)
• The Twilight Samurai: Foreign Language Film
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 7-9, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Mummy – $43,369,635 ($43,369,635 total) {week 1}
3. The Matrix – $5,881,558 ($138,505,386 total) {week 6}
4. Life – $3,644,810 ($51,484,410 total) {week 4}
5. Election – $3,162,540 ($3,696,536 total) {week 3}
10. Shakespeare in Love – $785,199 ($93,965,332 total) {week 22}
12. Life Is Beautiful – $767,739 ($54,168,264 total) {week 29}
28. Saving Private Ryan – $182,143 ($215,708,216 total) {week 42}
40. The Prince of Egypt – $89,480 ($101,145,331 total) {week 21}
48. Central Station – $61,235 ($5,969,553 total) {week 25}
54. Gods and Monsters – $50,749 ($6,282,133 total) {week 27}
56. Patch Adams – $49,875 ($134,865,675 total) {week 20}
60. A Bug’s Life – $41,951 ($162,763,063 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Mummy – $69,408,491 ($69,408,491 total)
3. The Matrix – $9,412,808 ($221,663,147 total)
4. Life – $5,833,131 ($82,395,325 total)
5. Election – $5,061,309 ($5,915,913 total)
10. Shakespeare in Love – $1,256,628 ($150,381,525 total)
12. Life Is Beautiful – $1,228,685 ($86,690,548 total)
28. Saving Private Ryan – $291,501 ($345,218,070 total)
40. The Prince of Egypt – $143,203 ($161,872,351 total)
48. Central Station – $98,000 ($9,553,635 total)
54. Gods and Monsters – $81,218 ($10,053,886 total)
56. Patch Adams – $79,820 ($215,838,177 total)
60. A Bug’s Life – $67,138 ($260,484,981 total)

Oscar Details:

• A Bug’s Life: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Central Station: Actress (Fernanda Montenegro), Foreign Language Film
• Election: Adapted Screenplay
• Gods and Monsters: Actor (Ian McKellen), Supporting Actress (Lynn Redgrave), Adapted Screenplay [O]
• 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]
• The Mummy : Sound
• 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

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 13-15, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

5. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $2,772,923 ($33,014,724 total) {week 10}
10. Schindler’s List – $878,700 ($91,022,103 total) {week 22}
12. The Paper – $752,550 ($33,782,125 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $5,393,269 ($64,212,848 total)
10. Schindler’s List – $1,709,050 ($177,035,813 total)
12. The Paper – $1,463,692 ($65,705,425 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 12-14, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

2. Field of Dreams – $5,777,360 ($15,965,848 total) {week 4}
6. Rain Man – $1,241,578 ($162,186,250 total) {week 22}
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $261,044 ($6,383,949 total) {week 10}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Field of Dreams – $11,831,218 ($32,695,805 total)
6. Rain Man – $2,542,577 ($332,134,562 total)
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $534,581 ($13,073,427 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 11-13, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Natural – $5,088,381 ($5,088,381 total) {week 1}
5. Romancing the Stone – $3,034,528 ($44,312,676 total) {week 7}
9. Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes – $1,441,270 ($37,567,798 total) {week 7}
10. Splash – $1,219,328 ($56,849,593 total) {week 10}
11. Footloose – $1,218,894 ($67,834,529 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Natural – $12,312,065 ($12,312,065 total)
5. Romancing the Stone – $7,342,474 ($107,220,850 total)
9. Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes – $3,487,359 ($90,900,654 total)
10. Splash – $2,950,338 ($137,555,712 total)
11. Footloose – $2,949,288 ($164,135,334 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
• The Natural : Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction
• Romancing the Stone: Editing
• Splash: Original Screenplay