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

Terminator: Genisys (Wide)

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

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 2-4, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

3. Toy Story 3 – $30,280,024 ($289,106,193 total) {week 3}
14. I Am Love – $528,877 ($1,096,813 total) {week 3}
17. Winter’s Bone – $430,329 ($1,712,220 total) {week 4}
21. How to Train Your Dragon – $341,760 ($216,156,994 total) {week 15}
27. The Secret in Their Eyes – $175,225 ($5,597,097 total) {week 12}
36. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $62,382 ($2,772,137 total) {week 12}
39. Restrepo – $58,587 ($119,210 total) {week 2}
56. Avatar – $28,729 ($749,596,887 total) {week 29}
62. The Secret of Kells – $10,741 ($655,928 total) {week 18}
74. Alice in Wonderland – $4,684 ($334,183,250 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Toy Story 3 – $31,354,600 ($299,365,982 total)
14. I Am Love – $547,646 ($1,135,737 total)
17. Winter’s Bone – $445,600 ($1,772,983 total)
21. How to Train Your Dragon – $353,888 ($223,827,965 total)
27. The Secret in Their Eyes – $181,443 ($5,795,727 total)
36. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $64,596 ($2,870,514 total)
39. Restrepo – $60,666 ($123,441 total)
56. Avatar – $29,749 ($776,198,551 total)
62. The Secret of Kells – $11,122 ($679,206 total)
74. Alice in Wonderland – $4,850 ($346,042,732 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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]
• Exit Through the Gift Shop: Documentary Feature
• How to Train Your Dragon: Animated Feature, Original Score
• I Am Love: Costume Design
• Restrepo: Documentary Feature
• The Secret in Their Eyes: Foreign Language Film
• The Secret of Kells : Animated Feature
• Toy Story 3: Picture, Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“We Belong Together”) [O], Sound Editing
• Winter’s Bone: Picture, Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Supporting Actor (John Hawkes), Adapted Screenplay

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 8-10, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

2. War of the Worlds – $30,469,118 ($164,978,282 total) {week 2}
3. Batman Begins – $10,012,444 ($171,901,777 total) {week 4}
10. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $2,600,800 ($370,819,889 total) {week 8}
12. Cinderella Man – $1,802,435 ($57,066,155 total) {week 6}
13. March of the Penguins – $1,019,357 ($1,940,706 total) {week 3}
16. Crash – $623,199 ($50,619,511 total) {week 10}
22. Howl’s Moving Castle – $305,925 ($3,817,641 total) {week 5}
41. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $67,884 ($3,804,724 total) {week 12}
45. Murderball – $57,286 ($57,286 total) {week 1}
90. Twist of Faith – $2,085 ($2,085 total) {week 1}
121. Born Into Brothels – $209 ($3,514,851 total) {week 27}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. War of the Worlds – $38,835,054 ($210,276,531 total)
3. Batman Begins – $12,761,571 ($219,101,017 total)
10. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $3,314,904 ($472,636,270 total)
12. Cinderella Man – $2,297,331 ($72,734,865 total)
13. March of the Penguins – $1,299,243 ($2,473,568 total)
16. Crash – $794,311 ($64,518,160 total)
22. Howl’s Moving Castle – $389,923 ($4,865,854 total)
41. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $86,523 ($4,849,391 total)
45. Murderball – $73,015 ($73,015 total)
90. Twist of Faith – $2,657 ($2,657 total)
121. Born Into Brothels – $266 ($4,479,927 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
• March of the Penguins: Documentary Feature [O]
• Murderball: Documentary Feature
• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: Makeup
• Twist of Faith : Documentary Feature
• War of the Worlds: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 7-9, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Perfect Storm – $27,118,925 ($100,195,906 total) {week 2}
3. The Patriot – $15,420,167 ($65,457,373 total) {week 2}
12. Gladiator – $2,028,736 ($173,971,075 total) {week 10}
22. U-571 – $226,695 ($75,746,550 total) {week 12}
32. Erin Brockovich – $146,365 ($124,918,330 total) {week 17}
52. East-West – $48,812 ($1,910,407 total) {week 14}
68. Toy Story 2 – $26,982 ($245,779,695 total) {week 34}
71. All About My Mother – $18,237 ($8,264,530 total) {week 36}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Perfect Storm – $41,106,051 ($151,873,943 total)
3. The Patriot – $23,373,426 ($99,218,319 total)
12. Gladiator – $3,075,097 ($263,700,127 total)
22. U-571 – $343,617 ($114,814,344 total)
32. Erin Brockovich – $221,856 ($189,347,450 total)
52. East-West – $73,988 ($2,895,738 total)
68. Toy Story 2 – $40,899 ($372,545,475 total)
71. All About My Mother – $27,643 ($12,527,126 total)

Oscar Details:

• All About My Mother: Foreign Language Film [O]
• 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]
• The Patriot: Original Score, Cinematography, Sound
• The Perfect Storm: Sound, Visual Effects
• Toy Story 2: Original Song (“When She Loved Me”)
• U-571: Sound, Sound Editing [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 7-9, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

1. Apollo 13 – $19,635,095 ($65,640,290 total) {week 2}
4. Pocahontas – $10,762,297 ($91,260,172 total) {week 4}
5. Batman Forever – $9,260,892 ($154,850,165 total) {week 4}
8. The Bridges of Madison County – $2,909,389 ($60,306,266 total) {week 6}
11. Braveheart – $1,603,142 ($55,120,905 total) {week 7}
13. Crimson Tide – $1,051,825 ($86,521,643 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Apollo 13 – $36,877,868 ($123,283,027 total)
4. Pocahontas – $20,213,326 ($171,401,289 total)
5. Batman Forever – $17,393,445 ($290,833,528 total)
8. The Bridges of Madison County – $5,464,301 ($113,264,872 total)
11. Braveheart – $3,010,959 ($103,525,930 total)
13. Crimson Tide – $1,975,497 ($162,501,569 total)

Oscar Details:

• Apollo 13: Picture, Supporting Actor (Ed Harris), Supporting Actress (Kathleen Quinlan), Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing [O], Art Direction, Sound [O], Visual Effects
• 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]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 6-8, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

2. Days of Thunder – $10,707,895 ($40,525,284 total) {week 2}
3. Dick Tracy – $6,638,594 ($81,719,771 total) {week 4}
5. Total Recall – $4,217,240 ($99,207,220 total) {week 6}
10. Pretty Woman – $2,519,631 ($153,633,980 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Days of Thunder – $20,681,679 ($78,272,239 total)
3. Dick Tracy – $12,822,060 ($157,837,005 total)
5. Total Recall – $8,145,355 ($191,612,999 total)
10. Pretty Woman – $4,866,521 ($296,735,134 total)

Oscar Details:

• Days of Thunder: Sound
• 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
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)
• Total Recall: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 5-7, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Back to the Future – $11,152,500 ($14,745,039 total) {week 1}
3. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $6,428,108 ($118,333,488 total) {week 7}
4. Cocoon – $6,333,285 ($31,582,061 total) {week 3}
10. Prizzi’s Honor – $2,049,597 ($17,161,579 total) {week 4}
14. Return to Oz – $984,649 ($8,616,130 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Back to the Future – $25,666,458 ($33,934,357 total)
3. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $14,793,702 ($272,333,689 total)
4. Cocoon – $14,575,476 ($72,683,222 total)
10. Prizzi’s Honor – $4,716,960 ($39,495,803 total)
14. Return to Oz – $2,266,080 ($19,829,234 total)

Oscar Details:

• Back to the Future: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“The Power of Love’), Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Cocoon: Supporting Actor (Don Ameche) [O], Visual Effects [O]
• 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
• Return to Oz: Visual Effects

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 4-6, 1980

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $8,309,772 ($81,958,005 total) {week 7}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $25,238,229 ($248,920,781 total)

Oscar Details:

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