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

Tomorrowland (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Original Score, Production Design, Costume Design, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

When Marnie Was There (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 21-23, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

9. How to Train Your Dragon – $1,901,211 ($210,990,918 total) {week 9}
15. Alice in Wonderland – $484,757 ($332,194,266 total) {week 12}
16. The Secret in Their Eyes – $446,549 ($2,692,960 total) {week 6}
28. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $202,592 ($1,608,491 total) {week 6}
29. Avatar – $188,505 ($748,821,665 total) {week 23}
46. The Secret of Kells – $23,710 ($496,712 total) {week 12}
63. A Prophet – $10,286 ($2,047,936 total) {week 13}
68. Crazy Heart – $8,443 ($39,455,075 total) {week 23}
72. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $5,864 ($438,408 total) {week 17}
75. The Last Station – $5,381 ($6,594,681 total) {week 19}
99. Ajami – $1,584 ($584,574 total) {week 16}
107. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $653 ($7,689,458 total) {week 22}
112. The White Ribbon – $249 ($2,221,763 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

9. How to Train Your Dragon – $1,968,681 ($218,478,555 total)
15. Alice in Wonderland – $501,960 ($343,983,163 total)
16. The Secret in Their Eyes – $462,396 ($2,788,528 total)
28. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $209,782 ($1,665,573 total)
29. Avatar – $195,195 ($775,395,818 total)
46. The Secret of Kells – $24,551 ($514,339 total)
63. A Prophet – $10,651 ($2,120,613 total)
68. Crazy Heart – $8,743 ($40,855,255 total)
72. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $6,072 ($453,966 total)
75. The Last Station – $5,572 ($6,828,713 total)
99. Ajami – $1,640 ($605,319 total)
107. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $676 ($7,962,341 total)
112. The White Ribbon – $258 ($2,300,609 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]
• 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 27-29, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

1. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $55,205,972 ($255,648,711 total) {week 2}
6. Crash – $4,658,473 ($34,796,250 total) {week 4}
18. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $326,411 ($2,554,817 total) {week 6}
34. Million Dollar Baby – $49,447 ($100,368,397 total) {week 24}
41. Downfall – $35,685 ($5,427,093 total) {week 15}
60. Born Into Brothels – $16,911 ($3,447,028 total) {week 21}
80. The Aviator – $4,406 ($102,607,592 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $70,363,930 ($325,842,429 total)
6. Crash – $5,937,555 ($44,350,291 total)
18. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $416,034 ($3,256,296 total)
34. Million Dollar Baby – $63,024 ($127,926,646 total)
41. Downfall – $45,483 ($6,917,215 total)
60. Born Into Brothels – $21,554 ($4,393,482 total)
80. The Aviator – $5,616 ($130,780,659 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
• 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 26-28, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

3. Gladiator – $13,430,378 ($123,362,264 total) {week 4}
8. U-571 – $2,595,880 ($68,287,895 total) {week 6}
13. Erin Brockovich – $861,845 ($121,333,595 total) {week 11}
34. The Cider House Rules – $233,338 ($57,159,449 total) {week 25}
41. Toy Story 2 – $185,008 ($245,277,760 total) {week 28}
43. American Beauty – $170,293 ($129,948,281 total) {week 37}
47. East-West – $137,461 ($1,187,307 total) {week 8}
57. All About My Mother – $45,481 ($8,012,562 total) {week 30}
999. Bicentennial Man – $13,653 ($58,220,776 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Gladiator – $20,357,363 ($186,988,812 total)
8. U-571 – $3,934,757 ($103,508,739 total)
13. Erin Brockovich – $1,306,359 ($183,913,817 total)
34. The Cider House Rules – $353,687 ($86,640,575 total)
41. Toy Story 2 – $280,430 ($371,784,657 total)
43. American Beauty – $258,125 ($196,971,699 total)
47. East-West – $208,359 ($1,799,684 total)
57. All About My Mother – $68,939 ($12,145,201 total)
999. Bicentennial Man – $20,695 ($88,249,302 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
• 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 26-28, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

3. Braveheart – $9,938,276 ($12,580,736 total) {week 1}
4. Crimson Tide – $12,808,429 ($53,954,238 total) {week 3}
11. A Little Princess – $2,610,583 ($5,384,329 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Braveheart – $18,665,682 ($23,628,647 total)
4. Crimson Tide – $24,056,291 ($101,334,741 total)
11. A Little Princess – $4,903,095 ($10,112,636 total)

Oscar Details:

• Braveheart: Picture [O], Directing [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Crimson Tide: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• A Little Princess: Cinematography, Art Direction

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 25-27, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

3. Pretty Woman – $8,189,423 ($120,230,612 total) {week 10}
7. The Hunt for Red October – $2,127,888 ($110,804,473 total) {week 13}
999. Jesus of Montreal (Foreign) – $20,388 ($20,388 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Pretty Woman – $15,817,396 ($232,218,463 total)
7. The Hunt for Red October – $4,109,892 ($214,012,422 total)
999. Jesus of Montreal (Foreign) – $39,378 ($39,378 total)

Oscar Details:

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

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 24-26, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $20,176,217 ($27,251,854 total) {week 1}
4. Beverly Hills Cop – $2,928,179 ($218,007,750 total) {week 25}
7. Mask – $1,321,657 ($41,257,723 total) {week 12}
9. Witness – $1,066,676 ($61,815,744 total) {week 16}
11. Ladyhawke – $819,943 ($16,990,361 total) {week 7}
12. Amadeus – $626,770 ($49,146,743 total) {week 36}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $46,433,716 ($62,717,647 total)
4. Beverly Hills Cop – $6,738,936 ($501,724,878 total)
7. Mask – $3,041,673 ($94,950,872 total)
9. Witness – $2,454,857 ($142,263,276 total)
11. Ladyhawke – $1,887,024 ($39,101,760 total)
12. Amadeus – $1,442,454 ($113,106,730 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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
• Ladyhawke: Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• Mask: Makeup [O]
• Rambo: First Blood Part II: Sound Effects Editing
• Witness: Picture, Directing, Actor (Harrison Ford), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing [O], Art Direction

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 23-25, 1980

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $4,910,483 ($7,244,308 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $14,913,995 ($22,002,229 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Empire Strikes Back: Original Score, Sound [O], Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]