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

Jurassic World (Wide)

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

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 11-13, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

16. The Secret in Their Eyes – $347,925 ($4,506,655 total) {week 9}
17. How to Train Your Dragon – $3,304,859 ($214,426,381 total) {week 12}
30. Alice in Wonderland – $142,144 ($333,920,165 total) {week 15}
32. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $115,151 ($2,365,248 total) {week 9}
35. Winter’s Bone – $84,797 ($84,797 total) {week 1}
40. Avatar – $64,767 ($749,316,799 total) {week 26}
57. The Secret of Kells – $17,140 ($599,123 total) {week 15}
94. A Prophet – $2,789 ($2,076,963 total) {week 16}
97. Ajami – $2,089 ($599,065 total) {week 19}
103. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $1,467 ($450,700 total) {week 20}
104. The Last Station – $1,406 ($6,615,578 total) {week 22}
110. Departures – $1,026 ($1,497,367 total) {week 55}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

16. The Secret in Their Eyes – $360,272 ($4,666,587 total)
17. How to Train Your Dragon – $3,422,142 ($222,035,936 total)
30. Alice in Wonderland – $147,188 ($345,770,310 total)
32. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $119,237 ($2,449,186 total)
35. Winter’s Bone – $87,806 ($87,806 total)
40. Avatar – $67,065 ($775,908,523 total)
57. The Secret of Kells – $17,748 ($620,385 total)
94. A Prophet – $2,888 ($2,150,670 total)
97. Ajami – $2,163 ($620,325 total)
103. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $1,519 ($466,694 total)
104. The Last Station – $1,456 ($6,850,351 total)
110. Departures – $1,062 ($1,550,505 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]
• Departures: Foreign Language Film [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
• Winter’s Bone: Picture, Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Supporting Actor (John Hawkes), Adapted Screenplay

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 17-19, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

1. Batman Begins – $48,745,440 ($72,896,986 total) {week 1}
4. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $10,038,498 ($348,140,685 total) {week 5}
7. Cinderella Man – $5,572,285 ($43,893,695 total) {week 3}
11. Crash – $1,297,689 ($46,422,459 total) {week 7}
13. Howl’s Moving Castle – $864,761 ($1,482,895 total) {week 2}
26. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $117,995 ($3,407,928 total) {week 9}
80. Born Into Brothels – $4,711 ($3,504,443 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Batman Begins – $62,129,523 ($92,912,383 total)
4. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $12,794,778 ($443,730,015 total)
7. Cinderella Man – $7,102,273 ($55,945,630 total)
11. Crash – $1,653,997 ($59,168,719 total)
13. Howl’s Moving Castle – $1,102,199 ($1,890,055 total)
26. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $150,393 ($4,343,646 total)
80. Born Into Brothels – $6,005 ($4,466,661 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Begins: Cinematography
• 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]
• Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room: Documentary Feature
• Howl’s Moving Castle: Animated Feature
• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: Makeup

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 16-18, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

8. Gladiator – $5,362,293 ($158,993,824 total) {week 7}
14. U-571 – $688,025 ($74,150,165 total) {week 9}
17. Erin Brockovich – $332,235 ($123,839,700 total) {week 14}
37. East-West – $90,172 ($1,598,455 total) {week 11}
50. Toy Story 2 – $60,433 ($245,586,752 total) {week 31}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. Gladiator – $8,128,003 ($240,998,060 total)
14. U-571 – $1,042,888 ($112,394,591 total)
17. Erin Brockovich – $503,592 ($187,712,495 total)
37. East-West – $136,680 ($2,422,890 total)
50. Toy Story 2 – $91,603 ($372,253,017 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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. 16-18, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

1. Batman Forever – $52,784,433 ($52,784,433 total) {week 1}
4. The Bridges of Madison County – $6,573,370 ($36,146,206 total) {week 3}
6. Braveheart – $4,117,820 ($40,960,474 total) {week 4}
7. Crimson Tide – $3,540,508 ($76,193,569 total) {week 6}
8. Pocahontas – $2,689,714 ($2,689,714 total) {week 1}
999. The Postman (Il Postino) – $95,310 ($95,310 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Batman Forever – $99,137,659 ($99,137,659 total)
4. The Bridges of Madison County – $12,345,847 ($67,888,391 total)
6. Braveheart – $7,733,929 ($76,930,362 total)
7. Crimson Tide – $6,649,644 ($143,103,784 total)
8. Pocahontas – $5,051,716 ($5,051,716 total)
999. The Postman (Il Postino) – $179,008 ($179,008 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Forever: Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• 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
• Pocahontas: Original Song (“Colors of the Wind”) [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score [O]
• The Postman (Il Postino): Picture, Directing, Actor (Massimo Troisi), Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 15-17, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Dick Tracy – $22,543,911 ($22,543,911 total) {week 1}
3. Total Recall – $10,223,600 ($67,625,020 total) {week 3}
6. Pretty Woman – $3,327,354 ($138,778,393 total) {week 13}
11. The Hunt for Red October – $602,680 ($114,448,402 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Dick Tracy – $43,542,258 ($43,542,258 total)
3. Total Recall – $19,746,291 ($130,613,809 total)
6. Pretty Woman – $6,426,592 ($268,042,428 total)
11. The Hunt for Red October – $1,164,042 ($221,050,460 total)

Oscar Details:

• Dick Tracy: Supporting Actor (Al Pacino), Original Song (“Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)”) [O], Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound
• The Hunt for Red October: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)
• Total Recall: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 14-16, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $9,162,153 ($84,953,870 total) {week 4}
4. Prizzi’s Honor – $4,234,537 ($4,234,537 total) {week 1}
10. Beverly Hills Cop – $1,010,816 ($223,306,873 total) {week 28}
11. Witness – $600,737 ($64,795,624 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $21,085,856 ($195,513,554 total)
4. Prizzi’s Honor – $9,745,399 ($9,745,399 total)
10. Beverly Hills Cop – $2,326,300 ($513,920,325 total)
11. Witness – $1,382,541 ($149,121,197 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beverly Hills Cop: Original Screenplay
• Prizzi’s Honor: Picture, Directing, Actor (Jack Nicholson), Supporting Actor (William Hickey), Supporting Actress (Anjelica Huston) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Costume Design
• 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 Jun. 13-15, 1980

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $3,606,000 ($36,492,546 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $10,952,052 ($110,834,238 total)

Oscar Details:

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