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

None

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 1-3, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

1. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $97,852,865 ($162,618,212 total) {week 1}
9. Bridesmaids – $3,646,125 ($153,020,490 total) {week 8}
10. Midnight in Paris – $3,579,967 ($33,780,039 total) {week 7}
14. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $1,664,822 ($156,859,489 total) {week 6}
15. The Tree of Life – $1,068,340 ($7,571,776 total) {week 6}
16. Beginners – $598,209 ($2,364,577 total) {week 5}
19. Rio – $446,961 ($140,479,509 total) {week 12}
32. A Better Life – $97,756 ($181,426 total) {week 2}
33. Rango – $91,425 ($123,188,232 total) {week 18}
39. Incendies – $48,388 ($1,743,423 total) {week 11}
60. Jane Eyre – $14,075 ($11,210,248 total) {week 17}
61. In a Better World – $12,124 ($900,397 total) {week 14}
84. If a Tree Falls – $2,124 ($22,129 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $100,814,364 ($167,539,822 total)
9. Bridesmaids – $3,756,474 ($157,651,627 total)
10. Midnight in Paris – $3,688,314 ($34,802,386 total)
14. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $1,715,208 ($161,606,813 total)
15. The Tree of Life – $1,100,673 ($7,800,934 total)
16. Beginners – $616,314 ($2,436,140 total)
19. Rio – $460,488 ($144,731,096 total)
32. A Better Life – $100,715 ($186,917 total)
33. Rango – $94,192 ($126,916,501 total)
39. Incendies – $49,852 ($1,796,187 total)
60. Jane Eyre – $14,501 ($11,549,524 total)
61. In a Better World – $12,491 ($927,647 total)
84. If a Tree Falls – $2,188 ($22,799 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”)
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• The Tree of Life: Picture, Directing, Cinematography

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 30-Jul. 2, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

1. Superman Returns – $52,535,096 ($84,593,540 total) {week 1}
2. The Devil Wears Prada – $27,537,244 ($27,537,244 total) {week 1}
3. Click – $19,919,470 ($78,436,992 total) {week 2}
4. Cars – $14,569,356 ($182,591,139 total) {week 4}
13. An Inconvenient Truth – $1,690,035 ($12,452,038 total) {week 6}
16. Poseidon – $1,096,212 ($58,795,722 total) {week 8}
30. Water – $85,882 ($2,694,055 total) {week 10}
47. United 93 – $32,410 ($31,454,670 total) {week 10}
92. Sophie Scholl – $3,123 ($660,496 total) {week 20}
96. Joyeux Noel – $2,828 ($1,049,567 total) {week 29}
104. Tsotsi – $1,514 ($2,910,279 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Superman Returns – $65,528,509 ($105,515,912 total)
2. The Devil Wears Prada – $34,347,982 ($34,347,982 total)
3. Click – $24,846,118 ($97,836,676 total)
4. Cars – $18,172,769 ($227,751,085 total)
13. An Inconvenient Truth – $2,108,028 ($15,531,779 total)
16. Poseidon – $1,367,336 ($73,337,565 total)
30. Water – $107,123 ($3,360,371 total)
47. United 93 – $40,426 ($39,234,298 total)
92. Sophie Scholl – $3,895 ($823,855 total)
96. Joyeux Noel – $3,527 ($1,309,155 total)
104. Tsotsi – $1,888 ($3,630,073 total)

Oscar Details:

• Cars: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Our Town”)
• Click: Makeup
• The Devil Wears Prada: Actress (Meryl Streep), Costume Design
• 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
• Superman Returns: Visual Effects
• Tsotsi: Foreign Language Film [O]
• United 93: Directing, Film Editing
• Water: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 29-Jul. 1, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

1. A.I. Artificial Intelligence – $29,352,630 ($29,352,630 total) {week 1}
7. Shrek – $7,707,203 ($228,142,129 total) {week 7}
8. Pearl Harbor – $4,722,956 ($179,731,614 total) {week 6}
11. Moulin Rouge! – $2,447,646 ($48,023,940 total) {week 7}
16. Sexy Beast – $710,787 ($1,914,703 total) {week 3}
17. Memento – $532,875 ($20,463,956 total) {week 16}
19. Bridget Jones’ Diary – $366,108 ($70,366,654 total) {week 12}
25. Lagaan – $115,468 ($730,604 total) {week 3}
32. Amores Perros – $69,114 ($5,287,476 total) {week 14}
34. O Brother, Where Art Thou? – $66,137 ($45,283,280 total) {week 28}
37. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – $61,598 ($127,911,677 total) {week 30}
43. Divided We Fall – $47,575 ($214,275 total) {week 4}
60. The Taste of Others – $18,384 ($891,369 total) {week 42}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. A.I. Artificial Intelligence – $42,369,432 ($42,369,432 total)
7. Shrek – $11,125,062 ($329,314,699 total)
8. Pearl Harbor – $6,817,412 ($259,435,916 total)
11. Moulin Rouge! – $3,533,086 ($69,320,776 total)
16. Sexy Beast – $1,025,995 ($2,763,803 total)
17. Memento – $769,185 ($29,538,961 total)
19. Bridget Jones’ Diary – $528,463 ($101,571,654 total)
25. Lagaan – $166,674 ($1,054,600 total)
32. Amores Perros – $99,763 ($7,632,275 total)
34. O Brother, Where Art Thou? – $95,466 ($65,364,735 total)
37. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – $88,914 ($184,635,760 total)
43. Divided We Fall – $68,673 ($309,298 total)
60. The Taste of Others – $26,537 ($1,286,658 total)

Oscar Details:

• A.I. Artificial Intelligence: Original Score, Visual Effects
• Amores Perros: Foreign Language Film
• Bridget Jones’ Diary: Actress (Renee Zellweger)
• 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
• The Taste of Others: Foreign Language Film

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 28-30, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Nutty Professor – $25,411,725 ($25,411,725 total) {week 1}
2. Eraser – $17,165,544 ($53,589,320 total) {week 2}
3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame – $14,310,376 ($47,106,326 total) {week 2}
5. The Rock – $10,982,957 ($98,298,361 total) {week 4}
8. Twister – $4,787,383 ($219,558,165 total) {week 8}
9. Dragonheart – $1,848,165 ($43,977,970 total) {week 5}
999. Lone Star – $409,645 ($779,262 total) {week 2}
999. Toy Story – $242,902 ($190,623,155 total) {week 32}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Nutty Professor – $46,971,446 ($46,971,446 total)
2. Eraser – $31,729,071 ($99,055,372 total)
3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame – $26,451,532 ($87,072,100 total)
5. The Rock – $20,301,077 ($181,696,292 total)
8. Twister – $8,849,077 ($405,834,889 total)
9. Dragonheart – $3,416,178 ($81,289,596 total)
999. Lone Star – $757,194 ($1,440,401 total)
999. Toy Story – $448,984 ($352,350,945 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 Nutty Professor: Makeup [O]
• 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. 28-30, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

2. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $13,054,762 ($79,298,776 total) {week 3}
3. City Slickers – $8,937,449 ($61,162,886 total) {week 4}
6. Backdraft – $3,630,565 ($59,743,885 total) {week 6}
8. Thelma & Louise – $2,220,944 ($29,125,014 total) {week 6}
12. Dances With Wolves – $638,104 ($184,208,848 total) {week 34}
999. Europa Europa – $31,433 ($31,433 total) {week 1}
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $538,161 ($125,890,892 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $25,334,301 ($153,888,599 total)
3. City Slickers – $17,344,171 ($118,693,772 total)
6. Backdraft – $7,045,538 ($115,940,033 total)
8. Thelma & Louise – $4,310,003 ($56,520,514 total)
12. Dances With Wolves – $1,238,316 ($357,478,928 total)
999. Europa Europa – $60,999 ($60,999 total)
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $1,044,365 ($244,306,078 total)

Oscar Details:

• Backdraft: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects
• City Slickers: Supporting Actor (Jack Palance) [O]
• Dances With Wolves: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Kevin Costner), Supporting Actor (Graham Greene), Supporting Actress (Mary McDonnell), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound [O]
• Europa Europa:
• 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. 27-29, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Karate Kid Part II – $8,870,625 ($28,885,135 total) {week 2}
6. Top Gun – $5,037,030 ($72,438,864 total) {week 7}
12. Poltergeist II: The Other Side – $1,115,952 ($35,957,158 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Karate Kid Part II – $19,534,503 ($63,609,583 total)
6. Top Gun – $11,092,328 ($159,521,703 total)
12. Poltergeist II: The Other Side – $2,457,501 ($79,183,283 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

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jun. 26-28, 1981

Weekend Box Office:

3. For Your Eyes Only – $6,834,967 ($6,834,967 total) {week 1}
5. The Great Muppet Caper – $2,968,990 ($2,968,990 total) {week 1}
6. Dragonslayer – $2,407,939 ($2,407,939 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. For Your Eyes Only – $20,086,935 ($20,086,935 total)
5. The Great Muppet Caper – $8,725,413 ($8,725,413 total)
6. Dragonslayer – $7,076,569 ($7,076,569 total)

Oscar Details:

• Dragonslayer:
• For Your Eyes Only:
• The Great Muppet Caper: