Every week, we’ll take a look back 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years into the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office that weekend historically. All data is taken from Box Office Mojo. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office. The second 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. Please let us know if you like our new feature or if you want to see more information and we’ll see what we can do!

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

The Amazing Spider-Man (Wide)

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

China Heavyweight (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Documentary Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 6-8, 2007

Weekend Box Office:

1. Transformers – $70,502,384 ($155,405,412 total) {week 1}
2. Ratatouille – $29,014,293 ($109,531,598 total) {week 2}
9. Sicko – $3,600,179 ($11,452,560 total) {week 3}
11. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $3,008,962 ($301,725,691 total) {week 7}
14. Surf’s Up – $991,175 ($56,042,318 total) {week 5}
17. La Vie en Rose – $608,884 ($6,030,711 total) {week 5}
18. Once – $439,648 ($4,563,755 total) {week 8}
42. The Lives of Others – $33,172 ($10,814,343 total) {week 22}
46. Away from Her – $23,576 ($4,501,383 total) {week 10}
56. After the Wedding – $11,485 ($1,526,359 total) {week 15}
98. Iraq in Fragments – $738 ($202,721 total) {week 34}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Transformers – $70,502,384 ($155,405,412 total)
2. Ratatouille – $29,014,293 ($109,531,598 total)
9. Sicko – $3,600,179 ($11,452,560 total)
11. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $3,008,962 ($301,725,691 total)
14. Surf’s Up – $991,175 ($56,042,318 total)
17. La Vie en Rose – $608,884 ($6,030,711 total)
18. Once – $439,648 ($4,563,755 total)
42. The Lives of Others – $33,172 ($10,814,343 total)
46. Away from Her – $23,576 ($4,501,383 total)
56. After the Wedding – $11,485 ($1,526,359 total)
98. Iraq in Fragments – $738 ($202,721 total)

Oscar Details:

• After the Wedding: Foreign Language Film
• Away from Her: Actress (Julie Christie), Adapted Screenplay
• Iraq in Fragments: Documentary Feature
• The Lives of Others: Foreign Language Film
• Once: Original Song [O]
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End: Makeup, Visual Effects
• Ratatouille: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Sicko: Documentary Feature
• Surf’s Up: Animated Feature
• Transformers: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• La Vie en Rose: Actress [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O]

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 5-7, 2002

Weekend Box Office:

3. Lilo & Stitch – $12,636,421 ($103,018,879 total) {week 3}
4. Minority Report – $12,556,624 ($97,119,723 total) {week 3}
11. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $2,508,748 ($23,576,174 total) {week 12}
12. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $2,450,654 ($291,297,451 total) {week 8}
13. Spider-Man – $2,204,636 ($400,058,357 total) {week 10}
19. About a Boy – $579,530 ($40,103,395 total) {week 8}
21. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron – $329,027 ($71,290,429 total) {week 7}
26. Ice Age – $194,194 ($175,351,002 total) {week 17}
32. Unfaithful – $158,973 ($52,070,062 total) {week 9}
34. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – $150,369 ($312,549,779 total) {week 29}
35. Y Tu Mama Tambien – $144,326 ($13,180,920 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Lilo & Stitch – $12,636,421 ($103,018,879 total)
4. Minority Report – $12,556,624 ($97,119,723 total)
11. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $2,508,748 ($23,576,174 total)
12. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $2,450,654 ($291,297,451 total)
13. Spider-Man – $2,204,636 ($400,058,357 total)
19. About a Boy – $579,530 ($40,103,395 total)
21. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron – $329,027 ($71,290,429 total)
26. Ice Age – $194,194 ($175,351,002 total)
32. Unfaithful – $158,973 ($52,070,062 total)
34. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – $150,369 ($312,549,779 total)
35. Y Tu Mama Tambien – $144,326 ($13,180,920 total)

Oscar Details:

• About a Boy: Adapted Screenplay
• Ice Age: Animated Feature
• Lilo & Stitch: Animated Feature
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Ian McKellen), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score [O], Original Song (“May It Be”), Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound, Visual Effects [O]
• Minority Report: Sound Editing
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Original Screenplay
• Spider-Man: Sound, Visual Effects
• Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron: Animated Feature
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones: Visual Effects
• Unfaithful: Actress (Diane Lane)
• Y Tu Mama Tambien: Original Screenplay

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 4-6, 1997

Weekend Box Office:

1. Men in Black – $51,068,455 ($84,133,900 total) {week 1}
3. Hercules – $12,193,152 ($50,030,540 total) {week 4}
4. My Best Friend’s Wedding – $10,818,090 ($69,281,429 total) {week 3}
7. Con Air – $3,791,861 ($85,073,453 total) {week 5}
8. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $2,604,420 ($218,334,199 total) {week 7}
13. Ulee’s Gold – $650,730 ($2,120,506 total) {week 4}
999. The Fifth Element – $147,367 ($60,966,673 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Men in Black – $51,068,455 ($84,133,900 total)
3. Hercules – $12,193,152 ($50,030,540 total)
4. My Best Friend’s Wedding – $10,818,090 ($69,281,429 total)
7. Con Air – $3,791,861 ($85,073,453 total)
8. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $2,604,420 ($218,334,199 total)
13. Ulee’s Gold – $650,730 ($2,120,506 total)
999. The Fifth Element – $147,367 ($60,966,673 total)

Oscar Details:

• Con Air: Original Song (“How Do I Live”), Sound
• The Fifth Element: Sound Editing
• Hercules: Original Song (“Go the Distance”)
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park: Visual Effects
• Men in Black: Original Musical or Comedy Score, Art Direction, Makeup [O]
• My Best Friend’s Wedding: Original Comedy/Musical Score
• Ulee’s Gold: Actor (Peter Fonda)

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 3-5, 1992

Weekend Box Office:

1. Batman Returns – $13,823,658 ($123,051,215 total) {week 11}
999. Basic Instinct – $562,886 ($109,651,443 total) {week 16}
999. Howards End – $588,625 ($8,424,679 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Batman Returns – $13,823,658 ($123,051,215 total)
999. Basic Instinct – $562,886 ($109,651,443 total)
999. Howards End – $588,625 ($8,424,679 total)

Oscar Details:

• Basic Instinct: Original Score, Editing
• Batman Returns: Makeup, Visual Effects
• Howards End: Picture, Director, Actress (Emma Thompson) [O], Supporting Actress (Vanessa Redgrave), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 3-5, 1987

Weekend Box Office:

3. Innerspace – $4,739,913 ($4,739,913 total) {week 1}
4. Beverly Hills Cop II – $4,532,907 ($126,247,105 total) {week 7}
5. The Witches of Eastwick – $4,255,271 ($41,107,940 total) {week 4}
6. The Untouchables – $4,042,613 ($51,476,016 total) {week 5}
7. Preadator – $4,000,063 ($41,775,223 total) {week 4}
11. Full Metal Jacket – $2,002,890 ($5,655,225 total) {week 2}
12. Harry and the Hendersons – $1,198,355 ($22,852,893 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Innerspace – $4,739,913 ($4,739,913 total)
4. Beverly Hills Cop II – $4,532,907 ($126,247,105 total)
5. The Witches of Eastwick – $4,255,271 ($41,107,940 total)
6. The Untouchables – $4,042,613 ($51,476,016 total)
7. Preadator – $4,000,063 ($41,775,223 total)
11. Full Metal Jacket – $2,002,890 ($5,655,225 total)
12. Harry and the Hendersons – $1,198,355 ($22,852,893 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beverly Hills Cop II: Original Song (“Shakedown”)
• Full Metal Jacket: Adapted Screenplay
• Harry and the Hendersons: Makeup [O]
• Innerspace: Visual Effects [O]
• Preadator: Visual Effects
• The Untouchables: Supporting Actor (Sean Connery) [O], Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design
• The Witches of Eastwick: Original Score, Sound

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 2-5, 1982

Weekend Box Office:

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $16,706,592 ($86,410,147 total) {week 4}
3. Rocky III – $5,400,555 ($72,800,555 total) {week 6}
4. Blade Runner – $5,312,317 ($14,866,486 total) {week 2}
5. Annie – $4,989,582 ($25,588,401 total) {week 7}
7. Poltergeist – $4,257,743 ($37,957,743 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $16,706,592 ($86,410,147 total)
3. Rocky III – $5,400,555 ($72,800,555 total)
4. Blade Runner – $5,312,317 ($14,866,486 total)
5. Annie – $4,989,582 ($25,588,401 total)
7. Poltergeist – $4,257,743 ($37,957,743 total)

Oscar Details:

• Annie: Original Song Score, Art Direction
• Blade Runner: Art Direction, Visual Effects
• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Sound [O], Sound Effects Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Poltergeist: Original Score, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Rocky III: Original Song (“Eye of the Tiger”)