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

The Farewell (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Awkwafina), Original Screenplay.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 11-13, 2014

Weekend Box Office:

1. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – $72,611,427 ($72,611,427 total) {week 1}
5. How to Train Your Dragon 2 – $6,073,372 ($152,276,733 total) {week 5}
8. Maleficent – $4,180,586 ($222,005,394 total) {week 7}
9. Begin Again – $2,820,839 ($5,171,587 total) {week 3}
16. X-Men: Days of Future Past – $1,025,365 ($229,162,436 total) {week 8}
19. Boyhood – $387,618 ($387,618 total) {week 1}
27. Captain America: The Winter Soldier – $213,468 ($258,258,222 total) {week 15}
32. Ida – $147,712 ($3,119,854 total) {week 11}
36. The Lego Movie – $78,612 ($257,335,781 total) {week 23}
37. The Grand Budapest Hotel – $969,321 ($58,848,866 total) {week 19}
72. Frozen – $5,751 ($400,736,600 total) {week 34}
75. Finding Vivian Maier – $4,854 ($1,479,309 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – $81,232,368 ($81,232,368 total)
5. How to Train Your Dragon 2 – $6,794,446 ($170,356,100 total)
8. Maleficent – $4,676,935 ($248,363,440 total)
9. Begin Again – $3,155,749 ($5,785,594 total)
16. X-Men: Days of Future Past – $1,147,104 ($256,370,216 total)
19. Boyhood – $433,639 ($433,639 total)
27. Captain America: The Winter Soldier – $238,812 ($288,920,459 total)
32. Ida – $165,249 ($3,490,265 total)
36. The Lego Movie – $87,945 ($287,888,499 total)
37. The Grand Budapest Hotel – $1,084,406 ($65,835,818 total)
72. Frozen – $6,434 ($448,314,874 total)
75. Finding Vivian Maier – $5,430 ($1,654,943 total)

Oscar Details:

• Begin Again: Original Song (“Lost Stars”)
• Boyhood: Picture, Directing, Supporting Actor (Ethan Hawke), Supporting Actress (Patricia Arquette) [O], Original Screenplay, Film Editing
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Visual Effects
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Visual Effects
• Finding Vivian Maier: Documentary Feature
• Frozen: Animated Feature [O], Original Song (“Let It Go”) [O]
• The Grand Budapest Hotel: Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Film Editing, Cinematography, Production Design [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup and Hairstyling [O]
• How to Train Your Dragon 2: Animated Feature
• Ida: Cinematography, Foreign Language Film [O]
• The Lego Movie: Original Song (“Everything Is Awesome”)
• Maleficent: Costume Design
• X-Men: Days of Future Past: Visual Effects

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 10-12, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $24,213,875 ($339,221,800 total) {week 3}
8. Up – $4,715,746 ($273,834,761 total) {week 7}
12. Star Trek – $1,164,416 ($251,970,795 total) {week 10}
17. The Hurt Locker – $641,168 ($1,101,834 total) {week 3}
24. Food, Inc. – $251,114 ($1,708,941 total) {week 5}
37. Departures – $60,352 ($831,018 total) {week 7}
69. Il Divo – $3,588 ($204,044 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $29,508,642 ($413,398,300 total)
8. Up – $5,746,922 ($333,713,295 total)
12. Star Trek – $1,419,035 ($307,068,409 total)
17. The Hurt Locker – $781,370 ($1,342,768 total)
24. Food, Inc. – $306,024 ($2,082,629 total)
37. Departures – $73,549 ($1,012,734 total)
69. Il Divo – $4,373 ($248,662 total)

Oscar Details:

• Departures: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Il Divo: Makeup
• Food, Inc.: Documentary Feature
• The Hurt Locker: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Jeremy Renner), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O]
• Star Trek: Makeup [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Sound Mixing
• Up: Picture, Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Sound Editing

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 9-11, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

1. Spider-Man 2 – $45,180,743 ($256,438,326 total) {week 2}
9. Shrek 2 – $4,450,316 ($418,517,158 total) {week 8}
11. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $4,052,317 ($232,795,692 total) {week 6}
19. Before Sunset – $485,117 ($885,542 total) {week 2}
24. Troy – $221,415 ($132,195,898 total) {week 9}
26. Super Size Me – $173,242 ($10,349,135 total) {week 10}
33. Story of the Weeping Camel – $112,152 ($684,868 total) {week 6}
54. The Passion of the Christ – $19,425 ($370,232,710 total) {week 20}
73. The Twilight Samurai – $7,274 ($418,635 total) {week 12}
91. My Architect – $2,547 ($2,740,675 total) {week 35}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Spider-Man 2 – $66,497,905 ($377,430,966 total)
9. Shrek 2 – $6,550,063 ($615,981,775 total)
11. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $5,964,280 ($342,633,273 total)
19. Before Sunset – $714,005 ($1,303,358 total)
24. Troy – $325,883 ($194,568,520 total)
26. Super Size Me – $254,981 ($15,232,060 total)
33. Story of the Weeping Camel – $165,068 ($1,008,002 total)
54. The Passion of the Christ – $28,590 ($544,915,776 total)
73. The Twilight Samurai – $10,706 ($616,155 total)
91. My Architect – $3,749 ($4,033,779 total)

Oscar Details:

• Before Sunset: Adapted Screenplay
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Original Score, Visual Effects
• My Architect: Documentary Feature
• The Passion of the Christ : Original Score, Cinematography, Makeup
• Shrek 2: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Accidentally in Love”)
• Spider-Man 2: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Story of the Weeping Camel : Documentary Feature
• Super Size Me : Documentary Feature
• Troy: Costume Design
• The Twilight Samurai: Foreign Language Film

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 9-11, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

4. Tarzan – $10,811,295 ($129,005,420 total) {week 4}
7. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $7,491,397 ($385,184,373 total) {week 8}
8. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut – $7,062,131 ($35,503,056 total) {week 2}
9. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $6,827,232 ($182,515,800 total) {week 5}
13. The Mummy – $867,505 ($149,609,505 total) {week 10}
14. The Red Violin – $518,184 ($5,454,304 total) {week 26}
15. Shakespeare in Love – $511,368 ($99,418,544 total) {week 31}
16. The Matrix – $510,407 ($167,505,401 total) {week 15}
24. Buena Vista Social Club – $254,339 ($1,912,838 total) {week 6}
28. Life – $169,505 ($63,077,804 total) {week 13}
45. Election – $58,454 ($14,455,310 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Tarzan – $19,451,818 ($232,108,177 total)
7. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $13,478,616 ($693,028,577 total)
8. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut – $12,706,275 ($63,877,546 total)
9. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $12,283,642 ($328,384,727 total)
13. The Mummy – $1,560,826 ($269,179,306 total)
14. The Red Violin – $932,323 ($9,813,452 total)
15. Shakespeare in Love – $920,060 ($178,875,097 total)
16. The Matrix – $918,331 ($301,377,828 total)
24. Buena Vista Social Club – $457,610 ($3,441,602 total)
28. Life – $304,976 ($113,490,380 total)
45. Election – $105,171 ($26,008,176 total)

Oscar Details:

• Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Makeup
• Buena Vista Social Club: Documentary Feature
• Election: Adapted Screenplay
• Life: Makeup
• The Matrix : Editing [O], Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Mummy : Sound
• The Red Violin : Original Score [O]
• Shakespeare in Love: Picture [O], Director, Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow) [O], Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Supporting Actress (Judi Dench) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
• South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut: Original Song (“Blame Canada”)
• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• Tarzan: Original Song (“You’ll Be In My Heart”)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 15-17, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

1. True Lies – $25,869,770 ($25,869,770 total) {week 1}
2. Forrest Gump – $24,125,273 ($72,117,610 total) {week 2}
3. The Lion King – $16,886,224 ($174,348,094 total) {week 5}
5. Speed – $5,103,359 ($93,515,856 total) {week 6}
12. Wyatt Earp – $1,005,164 ($21,631,944 total) {week 4}
999. Schindler’s List – $142,515 ($95,777,418 total) {week 31}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. True Lies – $56,566,913 ($56,566,913 total)
2. Forrest Gump – $52,752,391 ($157,692,573 total)
3. The Lion King – $36,923,466 ($381,230,043 total)
5. Speed – $11,159,019 ($204,482,039 total)
12. Wyatt Earp – $2,197,894 ($47,300,471 total)
999. Schindler’s List – $311,624 ($209,427,177 total)

Oscar Details:

• Forrest Gump: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Tom Hanks) [O], Supporting Actor (Gary Sinise), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• The Lion King : Original Song (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” [O], “Circle of Life”, “Hakuna Matata”), Original Score [O]
• Schindler’s List: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Liam Neeson), Supporting Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Makeup, Sound
• Speed: Editing, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
• True Lies: Visual Effects
• Wyatt Earp: Cinematography

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 14-16, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

1. Lethal Weapon 2 – $17,188,126 ($49,212,120 total) {week 2}
2. Batman – $15,114,415 ($167,635,148 total) {week 4}
6. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – $4,613,927 ($165,962,813 total) {week 8}
8. Dead Poets Society – $4,258,839 ($63,871,066 total) {week 7}
10. Do the Right Thing – $3,017,880 ($13,447,106 total) {week 3}
13. Field of Dreams – $1,098,630 ($55,168,709 total) {week 13}
14. When Harry Met Sally… – $1,094,453 ($1,094,453 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Lethal Weapon 2 – $39,571,655 ($113,299,440 total)
2. Batman – $34,797,419 ($385,940,870 total)
6. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – $10,622,492 ($382,090,708 total)
8. Dead Poets Society – $9,804,984 ($147,048,248 total)
10. Do the Right Thing – $6,947,966 ($30,958,828 total)
13. Field of Dreams – $2,529,340 ($127,013,098 total)
14. When Harry Met Sally… – $2,519,723 ($2,519,723 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman: Art Direction [O]
• Dead Poets Society: Picture, Director, Actor (Robin Williams), Original Screenplay [O]
• Do the Right Thing: Supporting Actor (Danny Aiello), Original Screenplay
• Field of Dreams: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Original Score, Sound, Sound Effects [O]
• Lethal Weapon 2: Sound Effects
• When Harry Met Sally…: Original Screenplay

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 13-15, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Ghostbusters – $9,761,392 ($115,635,510 total) {week 6}
4. The Karate Kid – $4,763,399 ($28,607,858 total) {week 4}
5. The Muppets Take Manhattan – $4,416,022 ($4,416,022 total) {week 1}
6. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $4,104,665 ($141,729,774 total) {week 8}
13. The Natural – $1,014,338 ($42,767,283 total) {week 10}
14. Romancing the Stone – $1,003,947 ($69,570,644 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Ghostbusters – $26,553,310 ($314,556,119 total)
4. The Karate Kid – $12,957,579 ($77,820,185 total)
5. The Muppets Take Manhattan – $12,012,631 ($12,012,631 total)
6. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $11,165,666 ($385,538,730 total)
13. The Natural – $2,759,241 ($116,337,192 total)
14. Romancing the Stone – $2,730,975 ($189,248,716 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ghostbusters: Original Song (“Ghostbusters”), Visual Effects
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Original Score, Visual Effects [O]
• The Karate Kid : Supporting Actor (Noriyuki ‘Pat’ Morita)
• The Muppets Take Manhattan : Original Song Score
• The Natural : Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction
• Romancing the Stone: Editing