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

Godzilla (Wide)

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

The Immigrant (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actress (Marion Cotillard), Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 15-17, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

2. Star Trek – $43,034,547 ($147,645,384 total) {week 2}
47. Coraline – $33,277 ($75,113,789 total) {week 15}
50. Paris 36 – $28,618 ($744,626 total) {week 7}
58. Il Divo – $20,340 ($106,875 total) {week 4}
67. Slumdog Millionaire – $10,537 ($141,307,689 total) {week 27}
68. Revanche – $10,533 ($70,760 total) {week 3}
69. The Class – $8,610 ($3,746,977 total) {week 22}
84. 12 – $4,627 ($116,066 total) {week 11}
86. Katyn – $4,120 ($114,763 total) {week 13}
95. The Garden – $2,070 ($20,702 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Star Trek – $46,649,449 ($160,047,596 total)
47. Coraline – $36,072 ($81,423,347 total)
50. Paris 36 – $31,022 ($807,175 total)
58. Il Divo – $22,049 ($115,853 total)
67. Slumdog Millionaire – $11,422 ($153,177,535 total)
68. Revanche – $11,418 ($76,704 total)
69. The Class – $9,333 ($4,061,723 total)
84. 12 – $5,016 ($125,816 total)
86. Katyn – $4,466 ($124,403 total)
95. The Garden – $2,244 ($22,441 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”)
• 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

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 14-16, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

1. Troy – $46,865,412 ($46,865,412 total) {week 1}
12. Super Size Me – $759,182 ($1,525,154 total) {week 2}
19. The Passion of the Christ – $500,606 ($368,894,610 total) {week 12}
20. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $413,483 ($32,399,781 total) {week 9}
40. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $92,571 ($376,853,002 total) {week 22}
64. My Architect – $35,915 ($2,504,808 total) {week 27}
66. Mystic River – $32,993 ($90,102,772 total) {week 32}
71. The Twilight Samurai – $28,858 ($101,937 total) {week 4}
78. The Triplets of Belleville – $21,974 ($6,898,025 total) {week 25}
99. Monster – $8,296 ($34,445,894 total) {week 21}
109. City of God – $6,072 ($7,522,317 total) {week 70}
110. In America – $6,061 ($15,524,576 total) {week 25}
117. The Fog of War – $5,104 ($4,193,943 total) {week 22}
159. The Weather Underground – $323 ($558,699 total) {week 50}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Troy – $118,696,511 ($118,696,511 total)
12. Super Size Me – $1,922,788 ($3,862,773 total)
19. The Passion of the Christ – $1,267,890 ($934,303,171 total)
20. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $1,047,233 ($82,059,258 total)
40. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $234,456 ($954,459,472 total)
64. My Architect – $90,962 ($6,343,953 total)
66. Mystic River – $83,562 ($228,204,217 total)
71. The Twilight Samurai – $73,089 ($258,177 total)
78. The Triplets of Belleville – $55,654 ($17,470,699 total)
99. Monster – $21,011 ($87,241,470 total)
109. City of God – $15,379 ($19,051,850 total)
110. In America – $15,351 ($39,319,253 total)
117. The Fog of War – $12,927 ($10,622,043 total)
159. The Weather Underground – $818 ($1,415,023 total)

Oscar Details:

• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Actress (Kate Winslet), Original Screenplay [O]
• The Fog of War: Documentary Feature [O]
• 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]
• 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”)
• Troy: Costume Design
• The Twilight Samurai: Foreign Language Film
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 14-16, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Mummy – $24,856,320 ($80,580,605 total) {week 2}
3. The Matrix – $4,548,484 ($145,138,521 total) {week 7}
6. Life – $2,864,520 ($55,320,650 total) {week 5}
9. Election – $2,266,891 ($7,015,155 total) {week 4}
13. Shakespeare in Love – $710,352 ($94,956,844 total) {week 23}
14. Life Is Beautiful – $626,655 ($55,104,440 total) {week 30}
35. Saving Private Ryan – $143,582 ($215,947,236 total) {week 43}
43. The Prince of Egypt – $72,569 ($101,257,900 total) {week 22}
54. Patch Adams – $41,428 ($134,921,873 total) {week 21}
55. Gods and Monsters – $40,903 ($6,347,503 total) {week 28}
999. A Bug’s Life – $16,932 ($162,792,677 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Mummy – $39,779,898 ($128,960,693 total)
3. The Matrix – $7,279,365 ($232,278,775 total)
6. Life – $4,584,360 ($88,534,820 total)
9. Election – $3,627,918 ($11,227,010 total)
13. Shakespeare in Love – $1,136,843 ($151,968,335 total)
14. Life Is Beautiful – $1,002,895 ($88,188,799 total)
35. Saving Private Ryan – $229,788 ($345,600,596 total)
43. The Prince of Egypt – $116,139 ($162,052,505 total)
54. Patch Adams – $66,301 ($215,928,116 total)
55. Gods and Monsters – $65,461 ($10,158,504 total)
999. A Bug’s Life – $27,098 ($260,532,375 total)

Oscar Details:

• A Bug’s Life: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• 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 20-22, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

1. Maverick – $17,248,545 ($17,248,545 total) {week 1}
5. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $1,912,615 ($37,155,329 total) {week 11}
12. Schindler’s List – $516,055 ($91,967,458 total) {week 23}
14. Philadelphia – $440,747 ($75,388,646 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Maverick – $33,548,007 ($33,548,007 total)
5. Four Weddings and a Funeral – $3,719,990 ($72,266,226 total)
12. Schindler’s List – $1,003,715 ($178,874,506 total)
14. Philadelphia – $857,242 ($146,629,113 total)

Oscar Details:

• Four Weddings and a Funeral: Picture, Original Screenplay
• Maverick: Costume Design
• 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

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 19-21, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

3. Field of Dreams – $5,081,160 ($23,319,961 total) {week 5}
7. Rain Man – $1,066,269 ($163,734,621 total) {week 23}
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $189,775 ($6,701,207 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Field of Dreams – $10,405,499 ($47,755,991 total)
7. Rain Man – $2,183,569 ($335,305,408 total)
999. The Adventures of Baron Munchaussen – $388,632 ($13,723,127 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 18-20, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Natural – $5,423,233 ($12,656,951 total) {week 2}
3. Romancing the Stone – $3,531,769 ($48,994,662 total) {week 8}
8. Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes – $1,440,242 ($39,574,834 total) {week 8}
9. Footloose – $1,279,264 ($69,599,398 total) {week 14}
11. Splash – $1,047,496 ($58,341,525 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Natural – $13,122,287 ($30,625,301 total)
3. Romancing the Stone – $8,545,620 ($118,549,584 total)
8. Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes – $3,484,871 ($95,756,964 total)
9. Footloose – $3,095,362 ($168,405,686 total)
11. Splash – $2,534,566 ($141,165,654 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