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

Despicable Me 2 (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

The Lone Ranger (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Original Score, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

The Way, Way Back (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Original Screenplay.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 4-6, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

2. WALL-E – $32,509,203 ($127,196,028 total) {week 2}
3. Wanted – $20,050,070 ($90,186,395 total) {week 2}
5. Kung Fu Panda – $7,318,635 ($193,221,867 total) {week 5}
12. Iron Man – $1,459,613 ($311,708,133 total) {week 10}
14. Mongol – $765,120 ($3,472,331 total) {week 5}
16. The Visitor – $337,105 ($8,131,561 total) {week 13}
36. Encounters at the End of the World – $74,100 ($243,275 total) {week 4}
55. The Counterfeiters – $18,418 ($5,415,429 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. WALL-E – $35,950,289 ($140,659,674 total)
3. Wanted – $22,172,362 ($99,732,587 total)
5. Kung Fu Panda – $8,093,309 ($213,674,321 total)
12. Iron Man – $1,614,112 ($344,702,309 total)
14. Mongol – $846,108 ($3,839,876 total)
16. The Visitor – $372,787 ($8,992,283 total)
36. Encounters at the End of the World – $81,943 ($269,026 total)
55. The Counterfeiters – $20,368 ($5,988,650 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Counterfeiters: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Encounters at the End of the World: Documentary Feature
• Iron Man: Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Kung Fu Panda: Animated Feature
• Mongol: Foreign Language Film
• The Visitor: Actor (Richard Jenkins)
• WALL-E: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Down to Earth”), Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Wanted: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 4-6, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

4. Finding Nemo – $11,059,141 ($274,936,974 total) {week 6}
13. Whale Rider – $1,242,123 ($4,140,861 total) {week 5}
19. Winged Migration – $439,461 ($4,122,580 total) {week 12}
21. Spellbound – $334,626 ($3,142,829 total) {week 10}
25. Capturing the Friedmans – $257,718 ($1,509,453 total) {week 6}
30. Nowhere in Africa – $133,222 ($5,407,957 total) {week 18}
38. A Mighty Wind – $75,276 ($17,336,014 total) {week 12}
40. Chicago – $62,180 ($169,580,881 total) {week 28}
46. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $50,890 ($339,554,276 total) {week 29}
47. The Barbarian Invasions – $50,019 ($4,111,692 total) {week 9}
60. The Man Without a Past – $20,370 ($826,835 total) {week 14}
68. Bowling for Columbine – $14,898 ($21,512,004 total) {week 39}
69. City of God – $14,150 ($4,440,831 total) {week 25}
86. The Quiet American – $8,080 ($12,940,345 total) {week 33}
94. The Weather Underground – $5,633 ($80,405 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Finding Nemo – $14,562,119 ($362,023,147 total)
13. Whale Rider – $1,635,565 ($5,452,477 total)
19. Winged Migration – $578,660 ($5,428,406 total)
21. Spellbound – $440,619 ($4,138,319 total)
25. Capturing the Friedmans – $339,350 ($1,987,572 total)
30. Nowhere in Africa – $175,420 ($7,120,925 total)
38. A Mighty Wind – $99,120 ($22,827,189 total)
40. Chicago – $81,875 ($223,295,555 total)
46. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $67,009 ($447,107,952 total)
47. The Barbarian Invasions – $65,862 ($5,414,069 total)
60. The Man Without a Past – $26,822 ($1,088,735 total)
68. Bowling for Columbine – $19,617 ($28,325,922 total)
69. City of God – $18,632 ($5,847,462 total)
86. The Quiet American – $10,639 ($17,039,194 total)
94. The Weather Underground – $7,417 ($105,873 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
• 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 Quiet American: Actor (Michael Caine)
• Spellbound: Documentary Feature
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature
• Whale Rider: Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
• Winged Migration: Documentary Feature

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 3-5, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

1. Armageddon – $36,089,972 ($54,202,675 total) {week 1}
3. Mulan – $11,476,524 ($76,990,629 total) {week 3}
4. Out of Sight – $6,578,475 ($23,152,880 total) {week 2}
6. The Truman Show – $6,008,506 ($109,791,466 total) {week 5}
10. The Horse Whisperer – $1,341,274 ($68,946,418 total) {week 8}
15. Titanic – $623,930 ($588,205,118 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Armageddon – $61,099,014 ($91,763,164 total)
3. Mulan – $19,429,339 ($130,342,344 total)
4. Out of Sight – $11,137,120 ($39,196,987 total)
6. The Truman Show – $10,172,183 ($185,872,972 total)
10. The Horse Whisperer – $2,270,728 ($116,723,787 total)
15. Titanic – $1,056,291 ($995,809,944 total)

Oscar Details:

• Armageddon: Original Song (“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”), Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• The Horse Whisperer: Original Song (“A Soft Place to Fall”)
• Mulan: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Out of Sight: Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• 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]
• The Truman Show: Director, Supporting Actor (Ed Harris), Original Screenplay

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 2-4, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Firm – $25,400,000 ($25,400,000 total) {week 1}
2. Jurassic Park – $18,969,605 ($205,732,720 total) {week 4}
3. Sleepless in Seattle – $16,102,858 ($43,250,097 total) {week 2}
8. What’s Love Got to Do With It – $5,747,021 ($21,688,636 total) {week 4}
9. Cliffhanger – $2,920,110 ($70,463,381 total) {week 6}
13. Dave – $1,148,766 ($60,184,364 total) {week 9}
999. Scent of a Woman – $42,030 ($62,675,294 total) {week 28}
999. Unforgiven – $184,732 ($100,902,316 total) {week 48}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Firm – $48,714,010 ($48,714,010 total)
2. Jurassic Park – $36,381,320 ($394,569,516 total)
3. Sleepless in Seattle – $30,883,259 ($82,948,254 total)
8. What’s Love Got to Do With It – $11,022,064 ($41,596,080 total)
9. Cliffhanger – $5,600,404 ($135,139,914 total)
13. Dave – $2,203,189 ($115,426,051 total)
999. Scent of a Woman – $80,608 ($120,203,342 total)
999. Unforgiven – $354,293 ($193,517,968 total)

Oscar Details:

• Cliffhanger: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• Dave: Original Screenplay
• The Firm: Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter), Original Score
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Scent of a Woman: Picture, Director, Actor (Al Pacino) [O], Adapted Screenplay
• Sleepless in Seattle: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“A Wink and a Smile”)
• Unforgiven: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman) [O], Original Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound
• What’s Love Got to Do With It: Actor (Laurence Fishburne), Actress (Angela Bassett)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 1-3, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

1. Coming to America – $21,404,420 ($21,404,420 total) {week 1}
2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $14,517,442 ($37,228,575 total) {week 2}
3. Big – $6,579,177 ($53,018,246 total) {week 5}
4. Bull Durham – $5,315,668 ($21,847,681 total) {week 3}
9. Willow – $2,525,974 ($43,623,457 total) {week 7}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Coming to America – $41,350,631 ($41,350,631 total)
2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $28,045,861 ($71,920,897 total)
3. Big – $12,710,138 ($102,424,543 total)
4. Bull Durham – $10,269,198 ($42,206,956 total)
9. Willow – $4,879,862 ($84,275,000 total)

Oscar Details:

• Big: Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay
• Bull Durham: Original Screenplay
• Coming to America: Costume Design, Makeup
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O], Special Achievement Award (Animation Direction, Richard Williams)
• Willow: Sound Effects, Visual Effects

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of July 8-10, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

1. Return of the Jedi – $7,337,926 ($165,172,584 total) {week 7}
2. Trading Places – $4,759,835 ($46,265,956 total) {week 5}
6. WarGames – $3,329,329 ($41,712,327 total) {week 6}
9. Flashdance – $2,279,134 ($58,254,882 total) {week 13}
12. Blue Thunder – $865,372 ($40,957,276 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Return of the Jedi – $18,496,233 ($416,339,783 total)
2. Trading Places – $11,997,806 ($116,619,584 total)
6. WarGames – $8,392,023 ($105,141,548 total)
9. Flashdance – $5,744,865 ($146,839,290 total)
12. Blue Thunder – $2,181,287 ($103,238,340 total)

Oscar Details:

• Blue Thunder: Editing
• 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]
• Trading Places: Original Song Score
• WarGames: Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Sound