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

Ant-Man (Wide)

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

Trainwreck (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Original Screenplay.

Mr. Holmes (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Original Score, Production Design, Costume Design.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 16-18, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

1. Inception – $62,785,337 ($62,785,337 total) {week 1}
5. Toy Story 3 – $11,998,276 ($362,965,378 total) {week 5}
12. The Kids Are All Right – $1,064,359 ($1,813,866 total) {week 2}
16. I Am Love – $415,112 ($2,662,051 total) {week 5}
17. Winter’s Bone – $348,155 ($3,064,827 total) {week 6}
24. How to Train Your Dragon – $237,392 ($217,387,997 total) {week 17}
33. Restrepo – $96,511 ($412,746 total) {week 4}
37. The Secret in Their Eyes – $79,827 ($6,023,877 total) {week 14}
42. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $38,367 ($2,958,982 total) {week 14}
54. Avatar – $15,615 ($749,701,420 total) {week 31}
81. Dogtooth – $2,528 ($36,101 total) {week 4}
85. The Secret of Kells – $2,185 ($672,946 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Inception – $65,013,460 ($65,013,460 total)
5. Toy Story 3 – $12,424,070 ($375,846,279 total)
12. The Kids Are All Right – $1,102,131 ($1,878,236 total)
16. I Am Love – $429,843 ($2,756,522 total)
17. Winter’s Bone – $360,510 ($3,173,591 total)
24. How to Train Your Dragon – $245,817 ($225,102,653 total)
33. Restrepo – $99,936 ($427,394 total)
37. The Secret in Their Eyes – $82,660 ($6,237,652 total)
42. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $39,729 ($3,063,990 total)
54. Avatar – $16,169 ($776,306,794 total)
81. Dogtooth – $2,618 ($37,382 total)
85. The Secret of Kells – $2,263 ($696,827 total)

Oscar Details:

• Avatar: Picture, Director, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Dogtooth: Foreign Language Film
• Exit Through the Gift Shop: Documentary Feature
• How to Train Your Dragon: Animated Feature, Original Score
• I Am Love: Costume Design
• Inception: Picture, Original Screenplay, Original Score, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Kids Are All Right: Picture, Actress (Annette Bening), Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), Original Screenplay
• 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. 22-24, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $28,253,338 ($114,058,892 total) {week 2}
6. War of the Worlds – $8,925,605 ($208,421,643 total) {week 4}
7. Hustle & Flow – $8,017,808 ($8,017,808 total) {week 1}
9. Batman Begins – $4,727,469 ($191,105,194 total) {week 6}
10. March of the Penguins – $4,382,340 ($9,306,689 total) {week 5}
15. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $1,046,982 ($375,876,648 total) {week 10}
17. Cinderella Man – $507,870 ($59,884,160 total) {week 8}
22. Crash – $285,617 ($51,898,164 total) {week 12}
33. Murderball – $104,392 ($263,918 total) {week 3}
37. Howl’s Moving Castle – $77,716 ($4,338,567 total) {week 7}
61. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $24,442 ($3,937,218 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $36,010,885 ($145,376,154 total)
6. War of the Worlds – $11,376,317 ($265,648,178 total)
7. Hustle & Flow – $10,219,265 ($10,219,265 total)
9. Batman Begins – $6,025,495 ($243,577,135 total)
10. March of the Penguins – $5,585,603 ($11,862,036 total)
15. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $1,334,453 ($479,081,469 total)
17. Cinderella Man – $647,316 ($76,326,613 total)
22. Crash – $364,039 ($66,147,894 total)
33. Murderball – $133,055 ($336,382 total)
37. Howl’s Moving Castle – $99,055 ($5,529,812 total)
61. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $31,153 ($5,018,264 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Begins: Cinematography
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Costume Design
• 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
• Hustle & Flow: Actor (Terrence Howard), Original Song (“It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp”) [O]
• March of the Penguins: Documentary Feature [O]
• Murderball: Documentary Feature
• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: Makeup
• War of the Worlds: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 21-23, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

5. The Perfect Storm – $9,680,952 ($145,354,506 total) {week 4}
7. The Patriot – $6,240,288 ($93,401,602 total) {week 4}
16. Gladiator – $1,052,014 ($178,496,604 total) {week 12}
22. U-571 – $199,640 ($76,368,160 total) {week 14}
38. Erin Brockovich – $91,170 ($125,307,020 total) {week 19}
61. East-West – $37,555 ($2,067,005 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. The Perfect Storm – $14,674,096 ($220,323,991 total)
7. The Patriot – $9,458,841 ($141,575,341 total)
16. Gladiator – $1,594,611 ($270,559,788 total)
22. U-571 – $302,608 ($115,756,562 total)
38. Erin Brockovich – $138,193 ($189,936,615 total)
61. East-West – $56,925 ($3,133,104 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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
• U-571: Sound, Sound Editing [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 21-23, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

1. Apollo 13 – $12,457,260 ($111,244,320 total) {week 4}
7. Pocahontas – $5,726,376 ($117,343,942 total) {week 6}
10. Batman Forever – $3,601,663 ($171,150,654 total) {week 6}
12. The Bridges of Madison County – $1,315,921 ($66,182,919 total) {week 8}
999. Braveheart – $722,365 ($58,109,316 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Apollo 13 – $23,396,739 ($208,934,734 total)
7. Pocahontas – $10,755,056 ($220,390,806 total)
10. Batman Forever – $6,764,503 ($321,448,470 total)
12. The Bridges of Madison County – $2,471,511 ($124,302,172 total)
999. Braveheart – $1,356,718 ($109,138,646 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)
• Pocahontas: Original Song (“Colors of the Wind”) [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score [O]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 20-22, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Ghost – $12,523,295 ($32,291,246 total) {week 2}
6. Days of Thunder – $5,537,495 ($63,288,147 total) {week 4}
8. Dick Tracy – $3,116,433 ($95,647,673 total) {week 6}
10. Total Recall – $2,154,810 ($108,569,430 total) {week 8}
12. Pretty Woman – $1,764,144 ($160,086,203 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Ghost – $24,188,019 ($62,368,671 total)
6. Days of Thunder – $10,695,351 ($122,237,390 total)
8. Dick Tracy – $6,019,210 ($184,737,941 total)
10. Total Recall – $4,161,891 ($209,695,566 total)
12. Pretty Woman – $3,407,342 ($309,197,229 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
• Ghost: Picture, Supporting Actress (Whoopi Goldberg) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)
• Total Recall: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 19-21, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Back to the Future – $1,315,305 ($50,232,313 total) {week 3}
4. Cocoon – $4,135,238 ($46,632,588 total) {week 5}
5. Silverado – $3,631,204 ($9,931,209 total) {week 2}
6. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $3,350,298 ($130,453,947 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Back to the Future – $3,027,054 ($115,605,070 total)
4. Cocoon – $9,516,872 ($107,320,632 total)
5. Silverado – $8,356,884 ($22,855,768 total)
6. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $7,710,404 ($300,227,816 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]
• Rambo: First Blood Part II: Sound Effects Editing
• Silverado: Original Score, Sound

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 18-20, 1980

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $6,721,000 ($105,714,000 total) {week 9}
3. Honeysuckle Rose – $2,189,966 ($2,189,966 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $20,412,851 ($321,071,888 total)
3. Honeysuckle Rose – $6,651,309 ($6,651,309 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Empire Strikes Back: Original Score, Sound [O], Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]
• Honeysuckle Rose: Original Song (“On the Road Again”)