Every week, we’ll take a look back in 5-year intervals in the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office that weekend historically. All data is collected from Box Office Mojo. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office (as well as a section looking at the inflation-adjusted numbers). The third 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. If you have any suggestions for more data you’d like to see, please let us know.

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

Mad Max: Fury Road (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 14-16, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

5. How to Train Your Dragon – $5,003,536 ($207,647,696 total) {week 8}
18. Alice in Wonderland – $440,202 ($331,533,915 total) {week 11}
20. The Secret in Their Eyes – $368,338 ($2,092,199 total) {week 5}
21. Avatar – $335,174 ($748,468,373 total) {week 22}
29. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $215,334 ($1,269,786 total) {week 5}
48. The Secret of Kells – $23,879 ($460,924 total) {week 11}
52. Crazy Heart – $18,882 ($39,436,623 total) {week 22}
57. A Prophet – $15,437 ($2,029,661 total) {week 12}
62. Ajami – $8,678 ($580,453 total) {week 15}
64. The Last Station – $8,196 ($6,585,853 total) {week 18}
91. The Blind Side – $2,385 ($255,950,375 total) {week 26}
93. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $2,334 ($430,826 total) {week 16}
96. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $588 ($7,686,818 total) {week 21}
100. The White Ribbon – $1,389 ($2,219,139 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. How to Train Your Dragon – $5,181,101 ($215,016,689 total)
18. Alice in Wonderland – $455,824 ($343,299,377 total)
20. The Secret in Their Eyes – $381,410 ($2,166,447 total)
21. Avatar – $347,069 ($775,029,988 total)
29. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $222,976 ($1,314,848 total)
48. The Secret of Kells – $24,726 ($477,281 total)
52. Crazy Heart – $19,552 ($40,836,148 total)
57. A Prophet – $15,985 ($2,101,690 total)
62. Ajami – $8,986 ($601,052 total)
64. The Last Station – $8,487 ($6,819,571 total)
91. The Blind Side – $2,470 ($265,033,532 total)
93. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $2,417 ($446,115 total)
96. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $609 ($7,959,607 total)
100. The White Ribbon – $1,438 ($2,297,892 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]
• Crazy Heart: Actor (Jeff Bridges) [O], Supporting Actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Original Song (“The Weary Kind”) [O]
• Exit Through the Gift Shop: Documentary Feature
• How to Train Your Dragon: Animated Feature, Original Score
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Art Direction, Costume Design
• The Last Station : Actress (Helen Mirren), Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer)
• The Most Dangerous Man in America : Documentary Feature
• A Prophet: Foreign Language Film
• The Secret in Their Eyes: Foreign Language Film
• The Secret of Kells : Animated Feature
• The White Ribbon : Cinematography, Foreign Language Film

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 20-22, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

1. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $108,435,841 ($158,449,700 total) {week 1}
4. Crash – $5,546,006 ($27,648,811 total) {week 3}
16. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $331,007 ($2,072,419 total) {week 5}
34. Million Dollar Baby – $80,427 ($100,283,719 total) {week 23}
38. Downfall – $59,542 ($5,355,525 total) {week 14}
57. Born Into Brothels – $21,375 ($3,410,863 total) {week 20}
62. The Aviator – $16,406 ($102,593,534 total) {week 23}
83. The Chorus – $4,800 ($1,542,630 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $138,209,176 ($201,955,390 total)
4. Crash – $7,068,778 ($35,240,372 total)
16. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $421,892 ($2,641,445 total)
34. Million Dollar Baby – $102,510 ($127,818,718 total)
38. Downfall – $75,891 ($6,825,997 total)
57. Born Into Brothels – $27,244 ($4,347,387 total)
62. The Aviator – $20,911 ($130,762,741 total)
83. The Chorus – $6,118 ($1,966,191 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
• Born Into Brothels : Documentary Feature
• The Chorus: Original Song (“Look To Your Path”), Foreign Language Film
• Crash: Picture [O], Directing, Supporting Actor (Matt Dillon), Original Screenplay [O], Original Song (“In the Deep”), Editing [O]
• Downfall : Foreign Language Film
• Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room: Documentary Feature
• Million Dollar Baby: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: Makeup

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 19-21, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

2. Gladiator – $19,749,273 ($103,140,065 total) {week 3}
4. U-571 – $4,637,520 ($64,397,750 total) {week 5}
15. Erin Brockovich – $1,104,330 ($120,150,735 total) {week 10}
30. American Beauty – $193,216 ($129,688,710 total) {week 36}
32. Toy Story 2 – $180,640 ($245,024,222 total) {week 27}
38. East-West – $104,953 ($1,007,546 total) {week 7}
49. The Cider House Rules – $53,498 ($56,901,886 total) {week 24}
55. Bicentennial Man – $34,047 ($58,194,132 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Gladiator – $29,935,354 ($156,336,611 total)
4. U-571 – $7,029,413 ($97,612,174 total)
15. Erin Brockovich – $1,673,910 ($182,120,873 total)
30. American Beauty – $292,871 ($196,578,249 total)
32. Toy Story 2 – $273,809 ($371,400,351 total)
38. East-West – $159,085 ($1,527,208 total)
49. The Cider House Rules – $81,091 ($86,250,169 total)
55. Bicentennial Man – $51,607 ($88,208,916 total)

Oscar Details:

• American Beauty: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Actress (Annette Bening), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography
• Bicentennial Man: Makeup
• The Cider House Rules : Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Michael Caine) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Art Direction
• East-West: Foreign Language Film
• Erin Brockovich: Picture, Directing, Actress (Julia Roberts) [O], Supporting Actor (Albert Finney), Original Screenplay
• Gladiator: Picture [O], Directing, Actor (Russell Crowe) [O], Supporting Actor (Joaquin Phoenix) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Sound [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Toy Story 2: Original Song (“When She Loved Me”)
• U-571: Sound, Sound Editing [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 19-21, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

2. Crimson Tide – $11,547,996 ($37,092,511 total) {week 2}
6. A Little Princess – $2,038,782 ($2,087,495 total) {week 2}
10. My Family, Mi Familia – $1,042,546 ($6,582,094 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Crimson Tide – $21,688,995 ($69,665,705 total)
6. A Little Princess – $3,829,161 ($3,920,652 total)
10. My Family, Mi Familia – $1,958,069 ($12,362,232 total)

Oscar Details:

• Crimson Tide: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• A Little Princess: Cinematography, Art Direction
• My Family, Mi Familia: Makeup

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 18-20, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

3. Pretty Woman – $6,253,391 ($109,624,898 total) {week 9}
6. The Hunt for Red October – $1,754,000 ($108,032,102 total) {week 12}
12. Driving Miss Daisy – $515,297 ($100,861,228 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Pretty Woman – $12,078,063 ($211,734,141 total)
6. The Hunt for Red October – $3,387,749 ($208,657,748 total)
12. Driving Miss Daisy – $995,266 ($194,807,620 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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]
• The Hunt for Red October: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 17-19, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

3. Beverly Hills Cop – $1,881,899 ($214,556,950 total) {week 24}
6. Mask – $1,586,467 ($39,437,533 total) {week 11}
9. Witness – $1,113,057 ($60,357,368 total) {week 15}
10. Ladyhawke – $1,023,193 ($15,833,415 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Beverly Hills Cop – $4,331,018 ($493,783,178 total)
6. Mask – $3,651,109 ($90,761,872 total)
9. Witness – $2,561,599 ($138,906,957 total)
10. Ladyhawke – $2,354,785 ($36,439,155 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beverly Hills Cop: Original Screenplay
• Ladyhawke: Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• Mask: Makeup [O]
• Witness: Picture, Directing, Actor (Harrison Ford), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing [O], Art Direction

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 16-18, 1980

Weekend Box Office:

2. Fame – $118,160 ($118,160 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Fame – $358,873 ($358,873 total)

Oscar Details:

• Fame: Original Song (“Fame” [O], “Out Here On My Own”), Original Score [O], Film Editing, Sound