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

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Sound, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 30-Aug. 1, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

1. Inception – $27,485,245 ($193,313,741 total) {week 3}
3. Salt – $19,471,355 ($71,033,711 total) {week 2}
7. Toy Story 3 – $5,122,907 ($389,761,491 total) {week 7}
12. The Kids Are All Right – $3,525,585 ($9,636,508 total) {week 4}
19. Winter’s Bone – $309,807 ($4,018,372 total) {week 8}
24. I Am Love – $207,214 ($3,603,811 total) {week 7}
38. Restrepo – $75,230 ($651,059 total) {week 6}
44. The Secret in Their Eyes – $39,912 ($6,207,191 total) {week 16}
52. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $19,761 ($3,074,429 total) {week 16}
59. Avatar – $13,028 ($749,748,303 total) {week 33}
96. Dogtooth – $1,829 ($43,518 total) {week 6}
104. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $166 ($453,483 total) {week 27}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Inception – $28,460,640 ($200,174,051 total)
3. Salt – $20,162,354 ($73,554,552 total)
7. Toy Story 3 – $5,304,709 ($403,593,331 total)
12. The Kids Are All Right – $3,650,701 ($9,978,488 total)
19. Winter’s Bone – $320,801 ($4,160,976 total)
24. I Am Love – $214,568 ($3,731,703 total)
38. Restrepo – $77,900 ($674,164 total)
44. The Secret in Their Eyes – $41,328 ($6,427,472 total)
52. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $20,462 ($3,183,534 total)
59. Avatar – $13,490 ($776,355,340 total)
96. Dogtooth – $1,894 ($45,062 total)
104. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $172 ($469,576 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
• 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
• The Most Dangerous Man in America : Documentary Feature
• Restrepo: Documentary Feature
• Salt: Sound Mixing
• The Secret in Their Eyes: Foreign Language Film
• 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 Aug. 5-7, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $10,968,363 ($169,426,750 total) {week 4}
6. March of the Penguins – $7,117,206 ($26,414,009 total) {week 7}
9. War of the Worlds – $3,548,295 ($224,615,038 total) {week 6}
12. Hustle & Flow – $2,508,734 ($18,676,961 total) {week 3}
13. Batman Begins – $1,822,445 ($199,088,386 total) {week 8}
17. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $423,249 ($377,864,535 total) {week 12}
23. Cinderella Man – $270,845 ($60,695,500 total) {week 10}
25. Murderball – $220,465 ($871,083 total) {week 5}
28. Crash – $184,605 ($52,526,089 total) {week 14}
41. Junebug – $74,739 ($100,207 total) {week 1}
54. Howl’s Moving Castle – $35,442 ($4,520,887 total) {week 9}
68. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $14,466 ($4,001,422 total) {week 16}
79. Darwin’s Nightmare – $8,072 ($11,456 total) {week 1}
123. Twist of Faith – $688 ($8,129 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $13,979,957 ($215,946,419 total)
6. March of the Penguins – $9,071,384 ($33,666,529 total)
9. War of the Worlds – $4,522,554 ($286,287,810 total)
12. Hustle & Flow – $3,197,560 ($23,805,113 total)
13. Batman Begins – $2,322,836 ($253,752,280 total)
17. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $539,461 ($481,615,172 total)
23. Cinderella Man – $345,211 ($77,360,723 total)
25. Murderball – $280,998 ($1,110,257 total)
28. Crash – $235,292 ($66,948,229 total)
41. Junebug – $95,260 ($127,721 total)
54. Howl’s Moving Castle – $45,173 ($5,762,191 total)
68. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $18,438 ($5,100,096 total)
79. Darwin’s Nightmare – $10,288 ($14,601 total)
123. Twist of Faith – $877 ($10,361 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]
• Darwin’s Nightmare: Documentary Feature
• 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]
• Junebug: Supporting Actress (Amy Adams)
• 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 Aug. 4-6, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

1. Hollow Man – $26,414,386 ($26,414,386 total) {week 1}
3. Space Cowboys – $18,093,776 ($18,093,776 total) {week 1}
8. The Perfect Storm – $3,976,870 ($165,579,835 total) {week 6}
10. The Patriot – $2,317,507 ($105,718,592 total) {week 6}
16. Gladiator – $493,925 ($180,973,015 total) {week 14}
31. U-571 – $154,685 ($76,934,890 total) {week 16}
49. Erin Brockovich – $55,335 ($125,548,685 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Hollow Man – $40,038,132 ($40,038,132 total)
3. Space Cowboys – $27,426,002 ($27,426,002 total)
8. The Perfect Storm – $6,028,020 ($250,980,937 total)
10. The Patriot – $3,512,807 ($160,245,064 total)
16. Gladiator – $748,677 ($274,313,457 total)
31. U-571 – $234,467 ($116,615,594 total)
49. Erin Brockovich – $83,875 ($190,302,923 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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]
• Hollow Man: Visual Effects
• The Patriot: Original Score, Cinematography, Sound
• The Perfect Storm: Sound, Visual Effects
• Space Cowboys: Sound Editing
• U-571: Sound, Sound Editing [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 4-6, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

1. Waterworld – $13,452,035 ($45,570,515 total) {week 2}
3. Babe – $8,742,545 ($8,742,545 total) {week 1}
6. Apollo 13 – $7,315,920 ($139,071,190 total) {week 6}
12. Pocahontas – $2,396,045 ($129,883,528 total) {week 8}
18. Batman Forever – $804,706 ($176,802,473 total) {week 8}
999. Braveheart – $193,740 ($59,376,291 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Waterworld – $25,265,086 ($85,588,760 total)
3. Babe – $16,419,906 ($16,419,906 total)
6. Apollo 13 – $13,740,475 ($261,198,074 total)
12. Pocahontas – $4,500,158 ($243,942,166 total)
18. Batman Forever – $1,511,367 ($332,063,495 total)
999. Braveheart – $363,875 ($111,518,229 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
• Babe: Picture, Directing, Supporting Actor (James Cromwell), Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Art Direction, Visual Effects [O]
• 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]
• Pocahontas: Original Song (“Colors of the Wind”) [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score [O]
• Waterworld: Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 3-5, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Ghost – $10,798,834 ($69,131,226 total) {week 4}
3. Young Guns II – $8,017,438 ($8,017,438 total) {week 1}
11. Days of Thunder – $2,639,640 ($73,768,399 total) {week 6}
13. Pretty Woman – $1,110,950 ($164,142,466 total) {week 20}
14. Total Recall – $1,086,240 ($112,709,460 total) {week 10}
15. Dick Tracy – $1,041,562 ($101,117,485 total) {week 8}
999. Metropolitan – $46,663 ($46,663 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Ghost – $20,857,322 ($133,522,959 total)
3. Young Guns II – $15,485,217 ($15,485,217 total)
11. Days of Thunder – $5,098,312 ($142,479,390 total)
13. Pretty Woman – $2,145,736 ($317,031,666 total)
14. Total Recall – $2,098,010 ($217,691,794 total)
15. Dick Tracy – $2,011,717 ($195,302,566 total)
999. Metropolitan – $90,127 ($90,127 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
• Metropolitan: Original Screenplay
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)
• Total Recall: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]
• Young Guns II: Original Song (“Blaze of Glory”)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 2-4, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Back to the Future – $8,428,452 ($81,590,340 total) {week 5}
7. Cocoon – $2,561,039 ($56,480,078 total) {week 7}
8. Silverado – $2,512,627 ($19,181,357 total) {week 4}
11. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $2,155,710 ($138,276,829 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Back to the Future – $19,397,311 ($187,772,698 total)
7. Cocoon – $5,893,997 ($129,983,729 total)
8. Silverado – $5,782,581 ($44,144,137 total)
11. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $4,961,169 ($318,231,463 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 Aug. 1-3, 1980

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $5,758,789 ($130,000,000 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Empire Strikes Back – $17,490,448 ($394,832,714 total)

Oscar Details:

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