Every week, we’ll take a look back in 5-year intervals at the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office each 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 shots 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

Solo: A Star Wars Story (Wide)

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

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 31-Jun. 2, 2013

Weekend Box Office:

4. Star Trek: Into Darkness – $16,780,895 ($181,537,381 total) {week 3}
7. Iron Man 3 – $8,442,451 ($385,187,736 total) {week 5}
8. The Great Gatsby – $6,517,317 ($128,508,209 total) {week 4}
11. The Croods – $665,624 ($180,588,685 total) {week 11}
15. Before Midnight – $404,311 ($774,083 total) {week 2}
22. Kon-Tiki – $140,512 ($897,137 total) {week 6}
47. Life of Pi – $21,999 ($124,914,173 total) {week 28}
54. No – $11,622 ($2,325,210 total) {week 16}
64. Silver Linings Playbook – $8,132 ($132,088,910 total) {week 29}
81. Searching for Sugar Man – $3,593 ($3,678,004 total) {week 45}
85. The Gatekeepers – $3,091 ($2,405,742 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Star Trek: Into Darkness – $18,432,152 ($200,294,011 total)
7. Iron Man 3 – $9,273,196 ($424,985,731 total)
8. The Great Gatsby – $7,158,627 ($141,785,810 total)
11. The Croods – $731,122 ($199,247,295 total)
15. Before Midnight – $444,096 ($854,062 total)
22. Kon-Tiki – $154,339 ($989,830 total)
47. Life of Pi – $24,164 ($137,820,434 total)
54. No – $12,766 ($2,565,453 total)
64. Silver Linings Playbook – $8,932 ($145,736,473 total)
81. Searching for Sugar Man – $3,947 ($4,058,019 total)
85. The Gatekeepers – $3,395 ($2,654,306 total)

Oscar Details:

• Before Midnight: Adapted Screenplay
• The Croods: Animated Feature
• The Gatekeepers: Documentary Feature
• The Great Gatsby: Production Design [O], Costume Design [O]
• Iron Man 3: Visual Effects
• Kon-Tiki: Foreign Language Film
• Life of Pi: Picture, Directing [O], Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Pi’s Lullaby”), Original Score [O], Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Production Design, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• No: Foreign Language Film
• Searching for Sugar Man: Documentary Feature [O]
• Silver Linings Playbook: Picture, Directing, Actor (Bradley Cooper), Actress (Jennifer Lawrence) [O], Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro), Supporting Actress (Jacki Weaver), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing
• Star Trek: Into Darkness: Visual Effects

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 30-Jun. 1, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

4. Iron Man – $13,541,264 ($276,166,336 total) {week 5}
11. The Visitor – $553,704 ($5,322,550 total) {week 8}
27. The Counterfeiters – $80,161 ($5,154,980 total) {week 15}
60. In Bruges – $18,184 ($7,672,112 total) {week 17}
81. Juno – $5,025 ($143,472,771 total) {week 26}
127. Beaufort – $380 ($101,299 total) {week 20}
132. Taxi to the Dark Side – $243 ($274,661 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Iron Man – $16,841,711 ($345,015,604 total)
11. The Visitor – $688,660 ($6,649,481 total)
27. The Counterfeiters – $99,699 ($6,440,135 total)
60. In Bruges – $22,616 ($9,584,797 total)
81. Juno – $6,250 ($179,241,052 total)
127. Beaufort – $473 ($126,553 total)
132. Taxi to the Dark Side – $302 ($343,135 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beaufort: Foreign Language Film
• The Counterfeiters: Foreign Language Film [O]
• In Bruges: Original Screenplay
• Iron Man: Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Juno: Picture, Director, Actress (Ellen Page), Original Screenplay [O]
• Taxi to the Dark Side: Documentary Feature [O]
• The Visitor: Actor (Richard Jenkins)

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 30-Jun. 1, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

1. Finding Nemo – $70,251,710 ($70,251,710 total) {week 1}
14. A Mighty Wind – $664,465 ($15,405,570 total) {week 7}
16. The Barbarian Invasions – $383,385 ($2,853,465 total) {week 4}
21. Chicago – $265,251 ($168,649,886 total) {week 23}
22. Spellbound – $230,528 ($707,048 total) {week 5}
24. Winged Migration – $225,028 ($1,146,308 total) {week 7}
25. Nowhere in Africa – $219,608 ($4,254,132 total) {week 13}
34. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $89,444 ($338,955,859 total) {week 24}
36. Capturing the Friedmans – $65,154 ($65,154 total) {week 1}
42. Gangs of New York – $47,000 ($77,812,000 total) {week 23}
47. The Pianist – $41,565 ($32,519,322 total) {week 23}
52. The Man Without a Past – $33,233 ($648,569 total) {week 9}
53. City of God – $31,499 ($4,241,714 total) {week 20}
58. The Quiet American – $22,917 ($12,843,884 total) {week 28}
65. Bowling for Columbine – $17,806 ($21,392,838 total) {week 34}
101. Talk to Her – $3,712 ($9,279,732 total) {week 28}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Finding Nemo – $104,037,773 ($104,503,788 total)
14. A Mighty Wind – $984,025 ($22,916,743 total)
16. The Barbarian Invasions – $567,766 ($4,244,707 total)
21. Chicago – $392,818 ($250,877,194 total)
22. Spellbound – $341,396 ($1,051,778 total)
24. Winged Migration – $333,250 ($1,705,204 total)
25. Nowhere in Africa – $325,224 ($6,328,286 total)
34. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $132,460 ($504,217,920 total)
36. Capturing the Friedmans – $96,488 ($96,921 total)
42. Gangs of New York – $69,604 ($115,750,189 total)
47. The Pianist – $61,555 ($48,374,514 total)
52. The Man Without a Past – $49,216 ($964,787 total)
53. City of God – $46,648 ($6,309,813 total)
58. The Quiet American – $33,938 ($19,106,076 total)
65. Bowling for Columbine – $26,369 ($31,823,177 total)
101. Talk to Her – $5,497 ($13,804,178 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Barbarian Invasions: Original Screenplay, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Bowling for Columbine: Documentary Feature [O]
• Capturing the Friedmans: Documentary Feature
• Chicago: Picture [O], Director, Actress (Renee Zellweger), Supporting Actor (John C. Reilly), Supporting Actress (Catherine Zeta-Jones [O], Queen Latifah), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“I Move On”), Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Sound [O]
• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• Finding Nemo: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Editing
• Gangs of New York: Picture, Director, Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), Original Screenplay, Original Song (“The Hands That Built America”), Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Picture, Editing, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Man Without a Past: Foreign Language Film
• A Mighty Wind: Original Song (“A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow”)
• Nowhere in Africa: Foreign Language Film [O]
• The Pianist: Picture, Director [O], Actor (Adrien Brody) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing, Cinematography, Costume Design
• The Quiet American: Actor (Michael Caine)
• Spellbound: Documentary Feature
• Talk to Her: Director, Original Screenplay [O]
• Winged Migration: Documentary Feature

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 29-31, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

4. The Horse Whisperer – $7,338,090 ($43,414,451 total) {week 3}
5. Bulworth – $4,827,745 ($17,478,406 total) {week 3}
8. Quest for Camelot – $2,356,063 ($17,023,897 total) {week 3}
9. Titanic – $1,783,579 ($579,419,474 total) {week 24}
999. As Good As It Gets – $302,475 ($147,023,263 total) {week 23}
999. Primary Colors – $153,735 ($38,494,807 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. The Horse Whisperer – $13,972,099 ($83,033,609 total)
5. Bulworth – $9,192,274 ($33,428,849 total)
8. Quest for Camelot – $4,486,065 ($32,559,564 total)
9. Titanic – $3,396,026 ($1,108,186,073 total)
999. As Good As It Gets – $575,928 ($281,193,746 total)
999. Primary Colors – $292,719 ($73,624,396 total)

Oscar Details:

• As Good As It Gets: Picture, Actor (Jack Nicholson) [O], Actress (Helen Hunt) [O], Supporting Actor (Greg Kinnear), Original Screenplay, Original Musical or Comedy Score, Editing
• Bulworth: Original Screenplay
• The Horse Whisperer: Original Song (“A Soft Place to Fall”)
• Primary Colors: Supporting Actress (Kathy Bates), Adapted Screenplay
• Quest for Camelot: Original Song (“The Prayer”)
• Titanic: Picture [O], Director [O], Actress (Kate Winslet), Supporting Actress (Gloria Stuart), Original Dramatic Score [O], Original Song (“My Heart Will Go On”) [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 28-30, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

1. Cliffhanger – $16,176,967 ($16,176,967 total) {week 1}
3. Dave – $8,933,075 ($40,728,464 total) {week 4}
12. Unforgiven – $1,126,070 ($96,883,098 total) {week 43}
999. A Few Good Men – $163,705 ($140,293,057 total) {week 25}
999. Scent of a Woman – $214,830 ($62,024,534 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Cliffhanger – $34,893,796 ($35,050,095 total)
3. Dave – $19,268,686 ($88,245,005 total)
12. Unforgiven – $2,428,938 ($209,913,379 total)
999. A Few Good Men – $353,112 ($303,968,290 total)
999. Scent of a Woman – $463,389 ($134,386,490 total)

Oscar Details:

• Cliffhanger: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• Dave: Original Screenplay
• A Few Good Men: Picture, Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson), Editing, Sound
• Scent of a Woman: Picture, Director, Actor (Al Pacino) [O], Adapted Screenplay
• Unforgiven: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman) [O], Original Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 27-29, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

3. Willow – $7,556,144 ($18,611,739 total) {week 2}
5. Beetlejuice – $2,419,978 ($61,918,085 total) {week 9}
7. Moonstruck – $1,126,234 ($75,492,040 total) {week 24}
8. Good Morning, Vietnam – $1,010,396 ($119,555,151 total) {week 23}
11. The Last Emperor – $866,325 ($41,538,118 total) {week 28}
12. The Milagro Beanfield War – $827,750 ($11,332,238 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Willow – $16,417,607 ($40,619,781 total)
5. Beetlejuice – $5,258,006 ($135,135,091 total)
7. Moonstruck – $2,447,024 ($164,760,000 total)
8. Good Morning, Vietnam – $2,195,337 ($260,926,935 total)
11. The Last Emperor – $1,882,307 ($90,656,185 total)
12. The Milagro Beanfield War – $1,798,493 ($24,732,403 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beetlejuice: Makeup [O]
• Good Morning, Vietnam: Actor (Robin Williams)
• The Last Emperor: Picture [O], Director [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Sound [O]
• The Milagro Beanfield War: Original Score [O]
• Moonstruck: Picture, Director, Actress (Cher) [O], Supporting Actor (Vincent Gardenia), Supporting Actress (Olympia Dukakis) [O], Original Screenplay
• Willow: Sound Effects, Visual Effects

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 3-5, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

1. Return of the Jedi – $17,229,694 ($70,040,387 total) {week 2}
3. WarGames – $6,227,804 ($6,227,804 total) {week 1}
5. Blue Thunder – $3,208,259 ($30,420,065 total) {week 4}
6. Flashdance – $3,008,173 ($40,809,874 total) {week 8}
10. Tootsie – $1,279,134 ($171,541,171 total) {week 25}
13. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $1,053,934 ($352,905,920 total) {week 52}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Return of the Jedi – $48,844,815 ($199,448,340 total)
3. WarGames – $17,655,330 ($17,734,413 total)
5. Blue Thunder – $9,095,160 ($86,624,757 total)
6. Flashdance – $8,527,932 ($116,210,975 total)
10. Tootsie – $3,626,243 ($488,483,906 total)
13. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $2,987,819 ($1,004,941,620 total)

Oscar Details:

• Blue Thunder: Editing
• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Flashdance: Original Song (“Flashdance…What a Feeling”) [O], Original Song (“Maniac”), Editing, Cinematography
• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• Tootsie: Picture, Director, Actor (Dustin Hoffman), Supporting Actress (Teri Garr), Supporting Actress (Jessica Lange) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“It Might Be You”), Editing, Cinematography, Sound
• WarGames: Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Sound