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

Finding Nemo (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 24-26, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

8. Bridesmaids – $5,260,290 ($146,547,315 total) {week 7}
10. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $4,173,144 ($153,065,641 total) {week 5}
11. Midnight in Paris – $4,171,047 ($28,270,637 total) {week 6}
12. The Tree of Life – $1,328,026 ($5,843,290 total) {week 5}
14. Rio – $532,180 ($139,633,163 total) {week 11}
17. Beginners – $470,981 ($1,550,055 total) {week 4}
29. Rango – $116,786 ($123,010,655 total) {week 17}
34. Incendies – $69,996 ($1,658,634 total) {week 10}
38. A Better Life – $62,087 ($62,087 total) {week 1}
48. Jane Eyre – $32,002 ($11,172,831 total) {week 16}
56. In a Better World – $18,871 ($882,001 total) {week 13}
75. If a Tree Falls – $5,634 ($13,708 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. Bridesmaids – $5,419,492 ($150,982,543 total)
10. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $4,299,443 ($157,698,145 total)
11. Midnight in Paris – $4,297,283 ($29,126,243 total)
12. The Tree of Life – $1,368,218 ($6,020,136 total)
14. Rio – $548,286 ($143,859,135 total)
17. Beginners – $485,235 ($1,596,967 total)
29. Rango – $120,321 ($126,733,550 total)
34. Incendies – $72,114 ($1,708,832 total)
38. A Better Life – $63,966 ($63,966 total)
48. Jane Eyre – $32,971 ($11,510,975 total)
56. In a Better World – $19,442 ($908,695 total)
75. If a Tree Falls – $5,805 ($14,123 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beginners: Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer) [O]
• A Better Life: Actor (Demian Bichir)
• Bridesmaids: Supporting Actress (Melissa McCarthy), Original Screenplay
• If a Tree Falls: Documentary Feature
• In a Better World: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Incendies: Foreign Language Film
• Jane Eyre: Costume Design
• Kung Fu Panda 2: Animated Feature
• Midnight in Paris: Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay [O], Art Direction
• Rango: Animated Feature [O]
• Rio: Original Song (“Real in Rio”)
• The Tree of Life: Picture, Directing, Cinematography

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 23-25, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

1. Click – $40,011,365 ($40,011,365 total) {week 1}
2. Cars – $23,285,367 ($156,664,916 total) {week 3}
14. An Inconvenient Truth – $2,016,408 ($9,630,014 total) {week 5}
17. Poseidon – $427,467 ($57,325,847 total) {week 7}
25. Water – $133,357 ($2,536,678 total) {week 9}
36. United 93 – $67,325 ($31,389,680 total) {week 9}
82. Sophie Scholl – $5,969 ($651,378 total) {week 19}
105. Joyeux Noel – $2,863 ($1,044,414 total) {week 28}
110. Tsotsi – $2,415 ($2,907,615 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Click – $49,907,306 ($49,907,306 total)
2. Cars – $29,044,496 ($195,412,575 total)
14. An Inconvenient Truth – $2,515,123 ($12,011,788 total)
17. Poseidon – $533,192 ($71,504,148 total)
25. Water – $166,340 ($3,164,070 total)
36. United 93 – $83,976 ($39,153,234 total)
82. Sophie Scholl – $7,445 ($812,482 total)
105. Joyeux Noel – $3,571 ($1,302,727 total)
110. Tsotsi – $3,012 ($3,626,750 total)

Oscar Details:

• Cars: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Our Town”)
• Click: Makeup
• An Inconvenient Truth: Original Song (“I Need to Wake Up” [O]), Documentary Feature [O]
• Joyeux Noel: Foreign Language Film
• Poseidon: Visual Effects
• Sophie Scholl: Foreign Language Film
• Tsotsi: Foreign Language Film [O]
• United 93: Directing, Film Editing
• Water: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 22-24, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

5. Shrek – $10,405,731 ($215,232,017 total) {week 6}
7. Pearl Harbor – $6,818,896 ($171,886,718 total) {week 5}
8. Moulin Rouge! – $3,851,923 ($43,433,722 total) {week 6}
13. Memento – $733,435 ($19,574,122 total) {week 15}
14. Sexy Beast – $611,067 ($932,562 total) {week 2}
16. Bridget Jones’ Diary – $578,980 ($69,683,147 total) {week 11}
19. Lagaan – $238,148 ($594,585 total) {week 2}
22. Chocolat – $151,215 ($71,309,760 total) {week 28}
24. O Brother, Where Art Thou? – $107,439 ($45,150,731 total) {week 27}
31. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – $73,023 ($127,794,696 total) {week 29}
36. Amores Perros – $61,114 ($5,174,661 total) {week 13}
42. Divided We Fall – $47,693 ($145,407 total) {week 3}
53. Cast Away – $36,516 ($233,569,750 total) {week 27}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Shrek – $15,020,287 ($310,679,431 total)
7. Pearl Harbor – $9,842,823 ($248,112,100 total)
8. Moulin Rouge! – $5,560,108 ($62,694,966 total)
13. Memento – $1,058,686 ($28,254,519 total)
14. Sexy Beast – $882,053 ($1,346,119 total)
16. Bridget Jones’ Diary – $835,736 ($100,585,037 total)
19. Lagaan – $343,758 ($858,261 total)
22. Chocolat – $218,273 ($102,932,993 total)
24. O Brother, Where Art Thou? – $155,084 ($65,173,405 total)
31. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – $105,406 ($184,466,902 total)
36. Amores Perros – $88,216 ($7,469,431 total)
42. Divided We Fall – $68,843 ($209,890 total)
53. Cast Away – $52,709 ($337,149,268 total)

Oscar Details:

• Amores Perros: Foreign Language Film
• Bridget Jones’ Diary: Actress (Renee Zellweger)
• Cast Away: Actor (Tom Hanks), Sound
• Chocolat: Picture, Actress (Juliette Binoche), Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“A Love Before Time”), Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Divided We Fall: Foreign Language Film
• Lagaan: Foreign Language Film
• Memento: Original Screenplay, Film Editing
• Moulin Rouge!: Picture, Actress (Nicole Kidman), Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
• O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Cinematography
• Pearl Harbor: Original Song (“There You’ll Be”), Sound, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Sexy Beast: Supporting Actor (Ben Kingsley)
• Shrek: Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 21-23, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

1. Eraser – $24,566,446 ($24,566,446 total) {week 1}
2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame – $21,037,414 ($21,037,414 total) {week 1}
3. The Rock – $14,398,854 ($80,705,508 total) {week 3}
5. Twister – $6,573,065 ($211,440,689 total) {week 7}
7. Dragonheart – $2,940,255 ($40,562,470 total) {week 4}
999. Lone Star – $232,184 ($232,184 total) {week 1}
999. Toy Story – $323,111 ($190,189,545 total) {week 31}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Eraser – $45,409,019 ($45,409,019 total)
2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame – $38,885,899 ($38,885,899 total)
3. The Rock – $26,615,076 ($149,177,376 total)
5. Twister – $12,149,760 ($390,830,414 total)
7. Dragonheart – $5,434,815 ($74,976,330 total)
999. Lone Star – $429,173 ($429,173 total)
999. Toy Story – $597,244 ($351,549,453 total)

Oscar Details:

• Dragonheart: Visual Effects
• Eraser: Sound Effects Editing
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Lone Star: Original Screenplay
• The Rock: Sound
• Toy Story: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“You’ve Got a Friend in Me”), Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Twister: Sound, Visual Effects

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 21-23, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

1. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $18,289,665 ($57,480,318 total) {week 2}
2. City Slickers – $10,755,126 ($47,318,564 total) {week 3}
5. Backdraft – $4,514,250 ($53,900,070 total) {week 5}
10. Thelma & Louise – $2,627,712 ($25,417,359 total) {week 5}
12. Home Alone – $740,449 ($277,504,025 total) {week 32}
13. The Silence of the Lambs – $722,362 ($124,925,088 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $35,493,245 ($111,547,315 total)
2. City Slickers – $20,871,587 ($91,827,237 total)
5. Backdraft – $8,760,433 ($104,599,423 total)
10. Thelma & Louise – $5,099,384 ($49,325,374 total)
12. Home Alone – $1,436,928 ($538,529,189 total)
13. The Silence of the Lambs – $1,401,828 ($242,431,822 total)

Oscar Details:

• Backdraft: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects
• City Slickers: Supporting Actor (Jack Palance) [O]
• Home Alone: Original Song (“Somewhere in My Memory”), Original Score
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves: Original Song (“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”)
• The Silence of the Lambs: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Anthony Hopkins) [O], Actress (Jodie Foster) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Sound
• Thelma & Louise: Directing, Actor (Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon), Original Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Cinematography

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 20-22, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Karate Kid Part II – $12,652,336 ($12,652,336 total) {week 1}
4. Top Gun – $5,810,601 ($63,746,856 total) {week 6}
7. Poltergeist II: The Other Side – $1,870,990 ($33,897,611 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Karate Kid Part II – $27,862,422 ($27,862,422 total)
4. Top Gun – $12,795,852 ($140,380,543 total)
7. Poltergeist II: The Other Side – $4,120,212 ($74,647,839 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Karate Kid Part II: Original Song (“Glory of Love”)
• Poltergeist II: The Other Side: Visual Effects
• Top Gun: Original Song (“Take My Breath Away” [O]), Editing, Sound, Sound Effects