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

None

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 17-19, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $13,691,487 ($363,808,123 total) {week 4}
8. Up – $3,172,014 ($279,583,282 total) {week 8}
14. The Hurt Locker – $740,224 ($2,148,619 total) {week 4}
15. Star Trek – $690,639 ($253,164,613 total) {week 11}
23. Food, Inc. – $297,882 ($2,225,447 total) {week 6}
37. Departures – $53,129 ($915,370 total) {week 8}
81. Burma VJ – $4,259 ($41,049 total) {week 9}
88. Il Divo – $3,085 ($208,510 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $14,841,572 ($394,368,005 total)
8. Up – $3,438,463 ($303,068,278 total)
14. The Hurt Locker – $802,403 ($2,329,103 total)
15. Star Trek – $748,653 ($274,430,440 total)
23. Food, Inc. – $322,904 ($2,412,385 total)
37. Departures – $57,592 ($992,261 total)
81. Burma VJ – $4,617 ($44,497 total)
88. Il Divo – $3,344 ($226,025 total)

Oscar Details:

• Burma VJ: Documentary Feature
• 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

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 16-18, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

1. I, Robot – $52,179,887 ($52,179,887 total) {week 1}
2. Spider-Man 2 – $24,775,450 ($302,287,882 total) {week 3}
10. Shrek 2 – $3,230,786 ($425,011,646 total) {week 9}
12. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $2,758,045 ($238,344,679 total) {week 7}
19. Before Sunset – $581,261 ($1,709,920 total) {week 3}
31. Super Size Me – $145,975 ($10,633,019 total) {week 11}
33. Maria Full of Grace – $139,066 ($139,066 total) {week 1}
36. Troy – $129,420 ($132,459,414 total) {week 10}
38. Story of the Weeping Camel – $119,065 ($877,076 total) {week 7}
63. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $23,495 ($34,328,429 total) {week 18}
74. The Passion of the Christ – $12,039 ($370,257,518 total) {week 21}
89. The Twilight Samurai – $5,440 ($428,606 total) {week 13}
110. My Architect – $1,510 ($2,743,421 total) {week 36}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. I, Robot – $132,156,536 ($132,156,536 total)
2. Spider-Man 2 – $62,749,037 ($765,607,626 total)
10. Shrek 2 – $8,182,645 ($1,076,431,365 total)
12. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $6,985,329 ($603,658,019 total)
19. Before Sunset – $1,472,166 ($4,330,732 total)
31. Super Size Me – $369,712 ($26,930,357 total)
33. Maria Full of Grace – $352,214 ($352,214 total)
36. Troy – $327,783 ($335,481,320 total)
38. Story of the Weeping Camel – $301,557 ($2,221,379 total)
63. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – $59,506 ($86,943,965 total)
74. The Passion of the Christ – $30,491 ($937,755,022 total)
89. The Twilight Samurai – $13,778 ($1,085,535 total)
110. My Architect – $3,824 ($6,948,291 total)

Oscar Details:

• Before Sunset: Adapted Screenplay
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Actress (Kate Winslet), Original Screenplay [O]
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Original Score, Visual Effects
• I, Robot: Visual Effects
• Maria Full of Grace: Actress (Catalina Sandino Moreno)
• 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

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 16-18, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

7. Tarzan – $7,535,288 ($142,973,292 total) {week 5}
8. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $5,647,641 ($395,201,250 total) {week 9}
11. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $4,369,129 ($190,699,168 total) {week 6}
12. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut – $4,322,888 ($43,395,740 total) {week 3}
18. The Mummy – $632,195 ($150,744,850 total) {week 11}
21. The Red Violin – $393,029 ($5,957,593 total) {week 27}
25. Shakespeare in Love – $269,546 ($99,985,637 total) {week 32}
27. Buena Vista Social Club – $235,113 ($2,296,159 total) {week 7}
28. The Matrix – $224,609 ($167,910,762 total) {week 16}
32. Life – $149,435 ($63,314,304 total) {week 14}
57. Election – $38,212 ($14,524,160 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Tarzan – $12,059,427 ($228,813,556 total)
8. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $9,038,449 ($632,477,591 total)
11. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $6,992,327 ($305,193,747 total)
12. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut – $6,918,323 ($69,450,269 total)
18. The Mummy – $1,011,761 ($241,251,108 total)
21. The Red Violin – $629,001 ($9,534,494 total)
25. Shakespeare in Love – $431,380 ($160,016,384 total)
27. Buena Vista Social Club – $376,273 ($3,674,758 total)
28. The Matrix – $359,463 ($268,723,326 total)
32. Life – $239,155 ($101,327,813 total)
57. Election – $61,154 ($23,244,374 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”)

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 22-24, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

1. Forrest Gump – $21,931,425 ($109,132,967 total) {week 3}
2. True Lies – $20,696,264 ($61,531,149 total) {week 2}
3. The Client – $17,174,262 ($17,174,262 total) {week 1}
4. The Lion King – $14,005,541 ($199,723,355 total) {week 6}
6. Speed – $3,883,381 ($100,059,711 total) {week 7}
999. Schindler’s List – $90,045 ($95,953,003 total) {week 32}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Forrest Gump – $42,656,097 ($212,261,010 total)
2. True Lies – $40,253,738 ($119,676,613 total)
3. The Client – $33,403,529 ($33,403,529 total)
4. The Lion King – $27,240,442 ($388,457,147 total)
6. Speed – $7,553,083 ($194,613,744 total)
999. Schindler’s List – $175,135 ($186,626,295 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Client: Actress (Susan Sarandon)
• 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

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 21-23, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

1. Lethal Weapon 2 – $13,022,249 ($71,602,872 total) {week 3}
2. Batman – $11,164,319 ($187,521,450 total) {week 5}
3. When Harry Met Sally… – $8,846,522 ($11,085,052 total) {week 2}
7. Dead Poets Society – $3,547,080 ($70,020,395 total) {week 8}
8. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – $3,383,204 ($172,107,395 total) {week 9}
12. Do the Right Thing – $2,090,610 ($16,905,541 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Lethal Weapon 2 – $26,667,729 ($146,632,582 total)
2. Batman – $22,862,950 ($384,017,478 total)
3. When Harry Met Sally… – $18,116,429 ($22,700,623 total)
7. Dead Poets Society – $7,263,919 ($143,391,892 total)
8. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – $6,928,325 ($352,451,668 total)
12. Do the Right Thing – $4,281,274 ($34,620,163 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
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Original Score, Sound, Sound Effects [O]
• Lethal Weapon 2: Sound Effects
• When Harry Met Sally…: Original Screenplay

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 20-22, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Ghostbusters – $8,493,861 ($130,135,144 total) {week 7}
5. The Karate Kid – $4,248,830 ($35,969,149 total) {week 5}
7. The Muppets Take Manhattan – $3,647,069 ($11,979,757 total) {week 2}
8. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $3,060,056 ($147,185,208 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Ghostbusters – $20,552,110 ($314,880,572 total)
5. The Karate Kid – $10,280,651 ($87,032,494 total)
7. The Muppets Take Manhattan – $8,824,604 ($28,986,733 total)
8. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $7,404,243 ($356,135,637 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