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

San Andreas (Wide)

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

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 28-30, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

10. How to Train Your Dragon – $1,150,834 ($212,755,053 total) {week 10}
12. Alice in Wonderland – $586,939 ($333,017,139 total) {week 13}
14. The Secret in Their Eyes – $457,684 ($3,332,788 total) {week 7}
28. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $175,054 ($1,884,231 total) {week 7}
33. Avatar – $120,080 ($749,048,939 total) {week 24}
50. The Secret of Kells – $25,718 ($533,186 total) {week 13}
67. A Prophet – $7,553 ($2,060,777 total) {week 14}
81. Crazy Heart – $3,109 ($39,461,984 total) {week 24}
83. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $3,035 ($444,707 total) {week 18}
90. Ajami – $1,638 ($586,928 total) {week 17}
103. The Last Station – $336 ($6,606,654 total) {week 20}
104. The White Ribbon – $230 ($2,222,632 total) {week 22}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

10. How to Train Your Dragon – $1,191,675 ($220,305,296 total)
12. Alice in Wonderland – $607,768 ($344,835,238 total)
14. The Secret in Their Eyes – $473,926 ($3,451,062 total)
28. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $181,266 ($1,951,099 total)
33. Avatar – $124,341 ($775,631,157 total)
50. The Secret of Kells – $26,631 ($552,108 total)
67. A Prophet – $7,821 ($2,133,910 total)
81. Crazy Heart – $3,219 ($40,862,409 total)
83. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $3,143 ($460,489 total)
90. Ajami – $1,696 ($607,757 total)
103. The Last Station – $348 ($6,841,111 total)
104. The White Ribbon – $238 ($2,301,509 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 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 Jun. 3-5, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

3. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $25,088,336 ($307,892,961 total) {week 3}
4. Cinderella Man – $18,320,205 ($18,320,205 total) {week 1}
8. Crash – $3,266,884 ($40,932,504 total) {week 5}
21. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $191,946 ($2,941,530 total) {week 7}
43. Million Dollar Baby – $26,834 ($100,422,789 total) {week 25}
48. Downfall – $21,615 ($5,475,810 total) {week 16}
54. Born Into Brothels – $12,810 ($3,477,320 total) {week 22}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $31,976,865 ($392,431,434 total)
4. Cinderella Man – $23,350,402 ($23,350,402 total)
8. Crash – $4,163,876 ($52,171,382 total)
21. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $244,649 ($3,749,189 total)
43. Million Dollar Baby – $34,202 ($127,995,973 total)
48. Downfall – $27,550 ($6,979,309 total)
54. Born Into Brothels – $16,327 ($4,432,091 total)

Oscar Details:

• Born Into Brothels : Documentary Feature
• Cinderella Man: Supporting Actor (Paul Giamatti), Editing, Makeup
• 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 Jun. 2-4, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

5. Gladiator – $8,376,721 ($138,958,290 total) {week 5}
9. U-571 – $1,537,920 ($71,113,720 total) {week 7}
13. Erin Brockovich – $615,935 ($122,379,420 total) {week 12}
31. The Cider House Rules – $129,120 ($57,385,054 total) {week 26}
42. East-West – $93,759 ($1,309,200 total) {week 9}
50. American Beauty – $66,113 ($130,058,047 total) {week 38}
51. Toy Story 2 – $65,280 ($245,373,675 total) {week 29}
55. All About My Mother – $45,523 ($8,067,620 total) {week 31}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Gladiator – $12,697,182 ($210,628,799 total)
9. U-571 – $2,331,133 ($107,792,039 total)
13. Erin Brockovich – $933,616 ($185,499,047 total)
31. The Cider House Rules – $195,716 ($86,982,540 total)
42. East-West – $142,117 ($1,984,446 total)
50. American Beauty – $100,212 ($197,138,079 total)
51. Toy Story 2 – $98,949 ($371,930,042 total)
55. All About My Mother – $69,002 ($12,228,656 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
• 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 Jun. 2-4, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Bridges of Madison County – $10,519,257 ($10,519,257 total) {week 1}
4. Braveheart – $7,532,942 ($25,747,350 total) {week 2}
5. Crimson Tide – $6,518,258 ($62,780,995 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Bridges of Madison County – $19,756,857 ($19,756,857 total)
4. Braveheart – $14,148,077 ($48,357,667 total)
5. Crimson Tide – $12,242,337 ($117,912,811 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]
• The Bridges of Madison County: Actress (Meryl Streep)
• Crimson Tide: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 1-3, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Total Recall – $25,533,700 ($25,533,700 total) {week 1}
4. Pretty Woman – $4,755,105 ($126,741,424 total) {week 11}
8. The Hunt for Red October – $1,046,867 ($112,256,167 total) {week 14}
10. Driving Miss Daisy – $642,840 ($102,996,904 total) {week 25}
11. Longtime Companion – $393,141 ($1,683,375 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Total Recall – $49,316,863 ($49,316,863 total)
4. Pretty Woman – $9,184,210 ($244,793,720 total)
8. The Hunt for Red October – $2,021,963 ($216,816,285 total)
10. Driving Miss Daisy – $1,241,608 ($198,932,555 total)
11. Longtime Companion – $759,329 ($3,251,341 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]
• Longtime Companion: Supporting Actor (Bruce Davison)
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)
• Total Recall: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 31-Jun. 2, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $14,810,543 ($53,721,418 total) {week 2}
5. Beverly Hills Cop – $1,534,371 ($220,004,107 total) {week 26}
7. Mask – $864,000 ($42,417,782 total) {week 13}
10. Witness – $741,089 ($62,786,290 total) {week 17}
11. Ladyhawke – $532,921 ($17,707,161 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $34,085,109 ($123,634,925 total)
5. Beverly Hills Cop – $3,531,214 ($506,319,311 total)
7. Mask – $1,988,417 ($97,620,642 total)
10. Witness – $1,705,548 ($144,496,898 total)
11. Ladyhawke – $1,226,469 ($40,751,410 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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