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 Jan. 8-10, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

1. Avatar – $50,306,217 ($430,846,514 total) {week 4}
2. Sherlock Holmes – $16,585,327 ($165,153,093 total) {week 3}
7. The Blind Side – $7,531,467 ($218,978,376 total) {week 8}
8. Up in the Air – $7,159,294 ($54,801,035 total) {week 6}
10. The Princess and the Frog – $4,651,156 ($92,546,727 total) {week 7}
11. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $1,762,637 ($2,989,290 total) {week 3}
12. Invictus – $1,722,246 ($33,506,889 total) {week 5}
14. Nine – $1,614,900 ($16,837,007 total) {week 4}
16. The Young Victoria – $1,180,595 ($4,588,617 total) {week 4}
18. Precious – $464,718 ($44,311,459 total) {week 10}
19. Crazy Heart – $462,126 ($1,246,747 total) {week 4}
23. A Single Man – $359,845 ($2,286,364 total) {week 5}
25. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $285,239 ($19,559,123 total) {week 9}
29. An Education – $167,839 ($8,168,597 total) {week 14}
40. The White Ribbon – $48,374 ($168,533 total) {week 2}
43. The Lovely Bones – $38,572 ($448,080 total) {week 5}
48. The Messenger – $17,386 ($680,966 total) {week 9}
50. Coco Before Chanel – $15,580 ($6,027,993 total) {week 16}
78. Departures – $657 ($1,493,358 total) {week 33}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Avatar – $51,772,685 ($443,406,045 total)
2. Sherlock Holmes – $17,068,803 ($169,967,442 total)
7. The Blind Side – $7,751,015 ($225,361,776 total)
8. Up in the Air – $7,367,993 ($56,398,530 total)
10. The Princess and the Frog – $4,786,741 ($95,244,540 total)
11. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $1,814,019 ($3,076,430 total)
12. Invictus – $1,772,451 ($34,483,642 total)
14. Nine – $1,661,976 ($17,327,820 total)
16. The Young Victoria – $1,215,010 ($4,722,379 total)
18. Precious – $478,265 ($45,603,175 total)
19. Crazy Heart – $475,597 ($1,283,091 total)
23. A Single Man – $370,335 ($2,353,013 total)
25. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $293,554 ($20,129,288 total)
29. An Education – $172,732 ($8,406,718 total)
40. The White Ribbon – $49,784 ($173,446 total)
43. The Lovely Bones – $39,696 ($461,142 total)
48. The Messenger – $17,893 ($700,817 total)
50. Coco Before Chanel – $16,034 ($6,203,714 total)
78. Departures – $676 ($1,536,891 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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]
• Coco Before Chanel: Costume Design
• Crazy Heart: Actor (Jeff Bridges) [O], Supporting Actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Original Song (“The Weary Kind”) [O]
• Departures: Foreign Language Film [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 Actress (Matt Damon)
• The Lovely Bones : Supporting Actor (Stanley Tucci)
• The Messenger : Supporting Actor (Woody Harrelson), Original Screenplay
• 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”)
• 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 Young Victoria : Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Makeup

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 14-16, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

7. The Aviator – $5,057,536 ($50,235,595 total) {week 5}
8. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $4,040,709 ($111,118,911 total) {week 1}
9. The Phantom of the Opera – $3,669,147 ($26,555,685 total) {week 4}
13. Sideways – $2,164,549 ($28,046,995 total) {week 13}
14. Million Dollar Baby – $1,813,881 ($5,684,881 total) {week 5}
15. Finding Neverland – $1,756,690 ($30,445,737 total) {week 10}
16. House of Flying Daggers – $1,737,497 ($6,972,013 total) {week 7}
18. Hotel Rwanda – $1,460,089 ($3,589,618 total) {week 4}
20. The Incredibles – $1,056,191 ($256,240,051 total) {week 11}
21. The Polar Express – $1,009,858 ($160,211,136 total) {week 1}
22. Closer – $788,325 ($31,792,218 total) {week 7}
25. A Very Long Engagement – $525,765 ($4,368,784 total) {week 8}
27. Kinsey – $408,060 ($8,574,243 total) {week 10}
31. Ray – $286,005 ($72,581,045 total) {week 12}
33. The Motorcycle Diaries – $158,760 ($16,276,823 total) {week 17}
47. Being Julia – $37,395 ($3,686,668 total) {week 14}
48. The Sea Inside – $30,844 ($251,197 total) {week 5}
49. Vera Drake – $26,670 ($2,206,950 total) {week 15}
56. The Chorus – $18,355 ($18,355 total) {week 1}
66. Born Into Brothels – $6,705 ($77,800 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. The Aviator – $6,406,738 ($63,636,978 total)
8. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $5,118,652 ($140,762,177 total)
9. The Phantom of the Opera – $4,647,968 ($33,639,963 total)
13. Sideways – $2,741,987 ($35,529,111 total)
14. Million Dollar Baby – $2,297,771 ($7,201,441 total)
15. Finding Neverland – $2,225,323 ($38,567,767 total)
16. House of Flying Daggers – $2,201,010 ($8,831,942 total)
18. Hotel Rwanda – $1,849,598 ($4,547,223 total)
20. The Incredibles – $1,337,952 ($324,597,381 total)
21. The Polar Express – $1,279,258 ($202,950,768 total)
22. Closer – $998,627 ($40,273,449 total)
25. A Very Long Engagement – $666,024 ($5,534,247 total)
27. Kinsey – $516,918 ($10,861,600 total)
31. Ray – $362,303 ($91,943,539 total)
33. The Motorcycle Diaries – $201,113 ($20,619,002 total)
47. Being Julia – $47,371 ($4,670,163 total)
48. The Sea Inside – $39,072 ($318,209 total)
49. Vera Drake – $33,785 ($2,795,700 total)
56. The Chorus – $23,252 ($23,252 total)
66. Born Into Brothels – $8,494 ($98,555 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
• Closer: Supporting Actor (Clive Owen), Supporting Actress (Natalie Portman)
• 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 Motorcycle Diaries : Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Al Otro Lado del Rio”) [O]
• The Phantom of the Opera : Original Song (“Learn To Be Lonely”), Cinematography, Art Direction
• The Polar Express : Original Song (“Believe”), Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Ray: Picture, Director, Actor (Jamie Foxx) [O], Editing, Costume Design, Sound Mixing [O]
• 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
• A Very Long Engagement: Cinematography, Art Direction

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 14-16, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

2. Stuart Little – $9,410,077 ($106,528,424 total) {week 5}
3. The Hurricane – $9,014,805 ($13,078,871 total) {week 3}
4. Girl, Interrupted – $8,123,767 ($8,944,416 total) {week 4}
5. The Green Mile – $7,683,391 ($101,771,612 total) {week 6}
7. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $6,011,252 ($62,655,264 total) {week 4}
9. Toy Story 2 – $5,072,841 ($226,056,757 total) {week 9}
11. Bicentennial Man – $4,271,149 ($52,433,326 total) {week 5}
11. Magnolia – $3,391,300 ($11,735,846 total) {week 5}
12. Snow Falling on Cedars – $2,644,970 ($7,930,528 total) {week 4}
14. The Cider House Rules – $3,350,341 ($12,621,353 total) {week 6}
17. Anna and the King – $2,480,467 ($34,568,764 total) {week 5}
20. Sleepy Hollow – $868,410 ($95,950,884 total) {week 9}
21. The End of the Affair – $617,933 ($3,274,100 total) {week 7}
22. American Beauty – $598,389 ($72,753,371 total) {week 18}
24. Being John Malkovich – $509,722 ($19,744,510 total) {week 12}
26. All About My Mother – $461,678 ($3,441,867 total) {week 11}
27. The Sixth Sense – $415,562 ($277,400,187 total) {week 24}
35. The Straight Story – $181,621 ($4,871,252 total) {week 14}
37. Sweet and Lowdown – $144,250 ($1,347,271 total) {week 7}
38. Boys Don’t Cry – $138,207 ($3,074,284 total) {week 15}
39. Topsy-Turvy – $137,868 ($382,608 total) {week 5}
41. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $110,254 ($430,898,608 total) {week 35}
44. Titus – $93,837 ($290,148 total) {week 4}
45. The Insider – $90,541 ($26,856,371 total) {week 11}
48. Angela’s Ashes – $80,198 ($398,728 total) {week 4}
49. Fight Club – $68,580 ($36,861,059 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Stuart Little – $14,176,220 ($160,484,379 total)
3. The Hurricane – $13,580,745 ($19,703,234 total)
4. Girl, Interrupted – $12,238,402 ($13,474,705 total)
5. The Green Mile – $11,574,979 ($153,318,273 total)
7. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $9,055,912 ($94,389,748 total)
9. Toy Story 2 – $7,642,202 ($340,553,037 total)
11. Bicentennial Man – $6,434,458 ($78,990,465 total)
11. Magnolia – $5,108,971 ($17,679,976 total)
12. Snow Falling on Cedars – $3,984,630 ($11,947,289 total)
14. The Cider House Rules – $5,047,267 ($19,013,986 total)
17. Anna and the King – $3,736,807 ($52,077,618 total)
20. Sleepy Hollow – $1,308,254 ($144,549,384 total)
21. The End of the Affair – $930,912 ($4,932,410 total)
22. American Beauty – $901,469 ($109,602,481 total)
24. Being John Malkovich – $767,893 ($29,744,976 total)
26. All About My Mother – $695,515 ($5,185,150 total)
27. The Sixth Sense – $626,041 ($417,901,580 total)
35. The Straight Story – $273,611 ($7,338,510 total)
37. Sweet and Lowdown – $217,312 ($2,029,655 total)
38. Boys Don’t Cry – $208,208 ($4,631,389 total)
39. Topsy-Turvy – $207,697 ($576,396 total)
41. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $166,097 ($649,145,955 total)
44. Titus – $141,365 ($437,106 total)
45. The Insider – $136,399 ($40,458,949 total)
48. Angela’s Ashes – $120,818 ($600,681 total)
49. Fight Club – $103,315 ($55,530,946 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
• Anna and the King: Art Direction, Costume Design
• Being John Malkovich: Director, Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), Original Screenplay
• Bicentennial Man: Makeup
• 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
• The End of the Affair : Actress (Julianne Moore), Cinematography
• Fight Club: Sound Effects
• Girl, Interrupted: Supporting Actress (Angelina Jolie)
• 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
• Snow Falling on Cedars: Cinematography
• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• 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”)

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 13-15, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

1. Legends of the Fall – $14,038,128 ($14,975,417 total) {week 4}
5. Nobody’s Fool – $7,142,691 ($7,749,028 total) {week 1}
8. Little Women – $3,700,545 ($32,824,186 total) {week 4}
11. Nell – $3,505,734 ($23,785,842 total) {week 5}
14. The Lion King – $2,461,782 ($304,565,622 total) {week 31}
15. Pulp Fiction – $1,862,183 ($68,878,701 total) {week 14}
17. Junior – $1,141,650 ($33,067,375 total) {week 8}
19. Forrest Gump – $752,890 ($300,443,950 total) {week 28}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Legends of the Fall – $26,204,506 ($27,954,112 total)
5. Nobody’s Fool – $13,333,023 ($14,464,852 total)
8. Little Women – $6,907,684 ($61,271,814 total)
11. Nell – $6,544,037 ($44,400,238 total)
14. The Lion King – $4,595,326 ($568,522,494 total)
15. Pulp Fiction – $3,476,075 ($128,573,575 total)
17. Junior – $2,131,080 ($61,725,767 total)
19. Forrest Gump – $1,405,395 ($560,828,707 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]
• Junior: Original Song (“Look What Love Has Done”)
• Legends of the Fall: Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound
• The Lion King : Original Song (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” [O], “Circle of Life”, “Hakuna Matata”), Original Score [O]
• Little Women: Actress (Winona Ryder), Original Score, Costume Design
• Nell: Actress (Jodie Foster)
• Nobody’s Fool: Actor (Paul Newman), Adapted Screenplay
• Pulp Fiction: Picture, Director, Actor (John Travolta), Supporting Actor (Samuel L. Jackson), Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), Original Screenplay [O], Editing

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 12-14, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Born on the Fourth of July – $8,028,075 ($23,821,259 total) {week 4}
6. The Little Mermaid – $3,851,208 ($60,855,174 total) {week 9}
7. Steel Magnolias – $3,745,560 ($56,311,630 total) {week 9}
8. Glory – $3,020,360 ($3,724,870 total) {week 5}
9. Back to the Future Part II – $2,748,860 ($104,147,976 total) {week 8}
10. Driving Miss Daisy – $2,725,876 ($5,116,098 total) {week 5}
15. Blaze – $1,519,836 ($15,446,894 total) {week 5}
999. Enemies, A Love Story – $311,957 ($1,523,936 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Born on the Fourth of July – $15,410,867 ($45,727,807 total)
6. The Little Mermaid – $7,392,863 ($116,818,916 total)
7. Steel Magnolias – $7,190,058 ($108,097,030 total)
8. Glory – $5,797,949 ($7,150,341 total)
9. Back to the Future Part II – $5,276,771 ($199,924,720 total)
10. Driving Miss Daisy – $5,232,651 ($9,820,973 total)
15. Blaze – $2,917,510 ($29,652,194 total)
999. Enemies, A Love Story – $598,839 ($2,925,381 total)

Oscar Details:

• Back to the Future Part II: Visual Effects
• Blaze: Cinematography
• Born on the Fourth of July: Picture, Director [O], Actor (Tom Cruise), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Sound
• 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]
• Enemies, A Love Story: Supporting Actress (Anjelica Huston, Lena Olin), Adapted Screenplay
• Glory: Supporting Actor (Denzel Washington) [O], Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound [O]
• The Little Mermaid: Original Song (“Kiss the Girl”, “Under the Sea” [O]), Original Score [O]
• Steel Magnolias: Supporting Actress (Julia Roberts)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 11-13, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Beverly Hills Cop – $9,616,239 ($112,444,374 total) {week 6}
2. The River – $2,961,734 ($3,952,334 total) {week 4}
6. 2010 – $2,120,253 ($35,159,946 total) {week 6}
7. Starman – $2,067,380 ($20,752,449 total) {week 5}
8. The Cotton Club – $1,946,277 ($19,466,127 total) {week 5}
14. Dune – $1,477,945 ($26,090,556 total) {week 5}
16. Amadeus – $680,899 ($20,539,902 total) {week 17}
17. A Passage to India – $592,628 ($2,046,680 total) {week 5}
21. Places in the Heart – $279,450 ($30,310,488 total) {week 17}
23. The Killing Fields – $213,311 ($1,815,419 total) {week 11}
25. A Soldier’s Story – $127,882 ($20,421,179 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Beverly Hills Cop – $21,995,454 ($257,196,709 total)
2. The River – $6,774,445 ($9,040,268 total)
6. 2010 – $4,849,705 ($80,422,186 total)
7. Starman – $4,728,768 ($47,467,573 total)
8. The Cotton Club – $4,451,766 ($44,525,338 total)
14. Dune – $3,380,539 ($59,677,553 total)
16. Amadeus – $1,557,437 ($46,981,410 total)
17. A Passage to India – $1,355,532 ($4,681,420 total)
21. Places in the Heart – $639,193 ($69,329,905 total)
23. The Killing Fields – $487,911 ($4,152,451 total)
25. A Soldier’s Story – $292,508 ($46,709,852 total)

Oscar Details:

• 2010: Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Sound, Visual Effects
• 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 Cotton Club : Editing, Art Direction
• Dune: Sound
• 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
• Places in the Heart: Picture, Director, Actress (Sally Field) [O], Supporting Actor (John Malkovich), Supporting Actress (Linsday Crouse), Original Screenplay [O], Costume Design
• The River : Actress (Sissy Spacek), Original Score, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects [O]
• A Soldier’s Story: Picture, Supporting Actor (Adolph Caesar), Adapted Screenplay
• Starman: Actor (Jeff Bridges)