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

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Documentary Feature.

Ruby Sparks (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Original Screenplay.

Searching for Sugar Man (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Documentary Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 27-29, 2007

Weekend Box Office:

6. Transformers – $11,643,129 ($284,677,134 total) {week 4}
7. Ratatouille – $7,455,594 ($179,904,396 total) {week 5}
15. Sicko – $1,173,740 ($21,493,605 total) {week 6}
22. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $405,624 ($306,888,712 total) {week 10}
23. La Vie en Rose – $380,339 ($8,239,183 total) {week 8}
24. Once – $341,716 ($6,059,946 total) {week 11}
31. Surf’s Up – $133,956 ($57,614,376 total) {week 8}
44. The Lives of Others – $46,555 ($11,174,539 total) {week 25}
50. No End in Sight – $31,533 ($31,533 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Transformers – $11,643,129 ($284,677,134 total)
7. Ratatouille – $7,455,594 ($179,904,396 total)
15. Sicko – $1,173,740 ($21,493,605 total)
22. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $405,624 ($306,888,712 total)
23. La Vie en Rose – $380,339 ($8,239,183 total)
24. Once – $341,716 ($6,059,946 total)
31. Surf’s Up – $133,956 ($57,614,376 total)
44. The Lives of Others – $46,555 ($11,174,539 total)
50. No End in Sight – $31,533 ($31,533 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Lives of Others: Foreign Language Film
• No End in Sight: Documentary Feature
• Once: Original Song [O]
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End: Makeup, Visual Effects
• Ratatouille: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Sicko: Documentary Feature
• Surf’s Up: Animated Feature
• Transformers: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• La Vie en Rose: Actress [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O]

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 26-28, 2002

Weekend Box Office:

2. Road to Perdition – $11,106,213 ($65,647,145 total) {week 3}
9. Minority Report – $3,124,360 ($123,375,096 total) {week 6}
10. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $3,004,597 ($35,417,552 total) {week 15}
11. Lilo & Stitch – $2,733,495 ($134,221,957 total) {week 6}
17. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $771,155 ($296,976,622 total) {week 11}
24. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron – $267,061 ($72,211,245 total) {week 10}
25. Spider-Man – $251,065 ($403,142,910 total) {week 13}
38. Ice Age – $88,623 ($176,123,766 total) {week 20}
40. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – $81,178 ($313,111,364 total) {week 32}
45. Unfaithful – $67,001 ($52,655,427 total) {week 12}
47. Y Tu Mama Tambien – $63,401 ($13,622,333 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Road to Perdition – $11,106,213 ($65,647,145 total)
9. Minority Report – $3,124,360 ($123,375,096 total)
10. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $3,004,597 ($35,417,552 total)
11. Lilo & Stitch – $2,733,495 ($134,221,957 total)
17. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $771,155 ($296,976,622 total)
24. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron – $267,061 ($72,211,245 total)
25. Spider-Man – $251,065 ($403,142,910 total)
38. Ice Age – $88,623 ($176,123,766 total)
40. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – $81,178 ($313,111,364 total)
45. Unfaithful – $67,001 ($52,655,427 total)
47. Y Tu Mama Tambien – $63,401 ($13,622,333 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ice Age: Animated Feature
• Lilo & Stitch: Animated Feature
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Ian McKellen), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score [O], Original Song (“May It Be”), Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound, Visual Effects [O]
• Minority Report: Sound Editing
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Original Screenplay
• Road to Perdition: Supporting Actor (Paul Newman), Original Score, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound, Sound Editing
• Spider-Man: Sound, Visual Effects
• Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron: Animated Feature
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones: Visual Effects
• Unfaithful: Actress (Diane Lane)
• Y Tu Mama Tambien: Original Screenplay

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 25-27, 1997

Weekend Box Office:

1. Air Force One – $37,132,505 ($37,132,505 total) {week 1}
3. Men in Black – $12,350,884 ($194,036,790 total) {week 4}
4. Contact – $9,704,949 ($64,973,014 total) {week 3}
8. My Best Friend’s Wedding – $4,512,085 ($103,092,341 total) {week 6}
9. Hercules – $3,151,320 ($83,426,924 total) {week 7}
12. Con Air – $971,752 ($94,887,787 total) {week 8}
999. The Fifth Element – $420,687 ($61,778,086 total) {week 12}
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $408,660 ($223,375,949 total) {week 10}
999. Mrs. Brown – $320,865 ($454,820 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Air Force One – $37,132,505 ($37,132,505 total)
3. Men in Black – $12,350,884 ($194,036,790 total)
4. Contact – $9,704,949 ($64,973,014 total)
8. My Best Friend’s Wedding – $4,512,085 ($103,092,341 total)
9. Hercules – $3,151,320 ($83,426,924 total)
12. Con Air – $971,752 ($94,887,787 total)
999. The Fifth Element – $420,687 ($61,778,086 total)
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $408,660 ($223,375,949 total)
999. Mrs. Brown – $320,865 ($454,820 total)

Oscar Details:

• Air Force One: Editing, Sound
• Con Air: Original Song (“How Do I Live”), Sound
• Contact: Sound
• The Fifth Element: Sound Editing
• Hercules: Original Song (“Go the Distance”)
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park: Visual Effects
• Men in Black: Original Musical or Comedy Score, Art Direction, Makeup [O]
• Mrs. Brown: Actress (Judi Dench), Makeup
• My Best Friend’s Wedding: Original Comedy/Musical Score

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 24-26, 1992

Weekend Box Office:

8. Batman Returns – $2,830,557 ($150,598,782 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. Batman Returns – $2,830,557 ($150,598,782 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Returns: Makeup, Visual Effects

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 24-26, 1987

Weekend Box Office:

1. Robocop – $6,332,716 ($18,697,836 total) {week 2}
7. Full Metal Jacket – $3,320,220 ($26,814,910 total) {week 5}
11. Beverly Hills Cop II – $2,281,575 ($140,874,550 total) {week 10}
12. The Untouchables – $1,888,464 ($64,842,805 total) {week 8}
14. The Witches of Eastwick – $1,888,464 ($55,159,950 total) {week 7}
15. Innerspace – $1,666,222 ($23,079,581 total) {week 4}
17. Predator – $1,069,426 ($51,893,251 total) {week 7}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Robocop – $6,332,716 ($18,697,836 total)
7. Full Metal Jacket – $3,320,220 ($26,814,910 total)
11. Beverly Hills Cop II – $2,281,575 ($140,874,550 total)
12. The Untouchables – $1,888,464 ($64,842,805 total)
14. The Witches of Eastwick – $1,888,464 ($55,159,950 total)
15. Innerspace – $1,666,222 ($23,079,581 total)
17. Predator – $1,069,426 ($51,893,251 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beverly Hills Cop II: Original Song (“Shakedown”)
• Full Metal Jacket: Adapted Screenplay
• Innerspace: Visual Effects [O]
• Predator: Visual Effects
• Robocop: Film Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• The Untouchables: Supporting Actor (Sean Connery) [O], Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design
• The Witches of Eastwick: Original Score, Sound

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 23-25, 1982

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $11,874,268 ($11,874,268 total) {week 1}
2. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $11,255,124 ($150,572,544 total) {week 7}
4. The World According to Garp – $2,902,088 ($2,902,088 total) {week 1}
6. Rocky III – $2,804,020 ($91,306,000 total) {week 9}
7. Tron – $2,200,282 ($15,439,075 total) {week 3}
8. Poltergeist – $2,125,435 ($51,285,055 total) {week 8}
10. Annie – $1,683,007 ($39,427,731 total) {week 10}
16. Blade Runner – $847,941 ($23,443,381 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $11,874,268 ($11,874,268 total)
2. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $11,255,124 ($150,572,544 total)
4. The World According to Garp – $2,902,088 ($2,902,088 total)
6. Rocky III – $2,804,020 ($91,306,000 total)
7. Tron – $2,200,282 ($15,439,075 total)
8. Poltergeist – $2,125,435 ($51,285,055 total)
10. Annie – $1,683,007 ($39,427,731 total)
16. Blade Runner – $847,941 ($23,443,381 total)

Oscar Details:

• Annie: Original Song Score, Art Direction
• The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas: Supporting Actor (Charles Durning)
• Blade Runner: Art Direction, Visual Effects
• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Sound [O], Sound Effects Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Poltergeist: Original Score, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Rocky III: Original Song (“Eye of the Tiger”)
• Tron: Costume Design, Sound
• The World According to Garp: Supporting Actor (John Lithgow), Supporting Actress (Glenn Close)