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.

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5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 2-4, 2013

Weekend Box Office:

5. Despicable Me 2 – $10,134,120 ($326,411,585 total) {week 5}
14. Blue Jasmine – $1,858,696 ($2,845,115 total) {week 2}
17. The Lone Ranger – $660,645 ($86,765,352 total) {week 5}
20. Star Trek: Into Darkness – $478,353 ($226,222,380 total) {week 12}
24. 20 Feet from Stardom – $297,406 ($3,493,735 total) {week 8}
27. Iron Man 3 – $239,573 ($407,676,359 total) {week 14}
31. The Great Gatsby – $178,714 ($144,512,215 total) {week 13}
33. Before Midnight – $160,242 ($7,814,792 total) {week 11}
34. The Croods – $140,922 ($186,651,133 total) {week 20}
44. The Hunt – $75,444 ($383,811 total) {week 4}
47. The Act of Killing – $50,240 ($159,621 total) {week 3}
70. Kon-Tiki – $8,783 ($1,511,798 total) {week 15}
82. Dirty Wars – $3,156 ($365,604 total) {week 9}
99. Searching for Sugar Man – $256 ($3,692,866 total) {week 54}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Despicable Me 2 – $11,131,327 ($360,136,767 total)
14. Blue Jasmine – $2,041,594 ($3,139,075 total)
17. The Lone Ranger – $725,653 ($95,730,038 total)
20. Star Trek: Into Darkness – $525,423 ($249,595,910 total)
24. 20 Feet from Stardom – $326,671 ($3,854,711 total)
27. Iron Man 3 – $263,147 ($449,797,902 total)
31. The Great Gatsby – $196,300 ($159,443,366 total)
33. Before Midnight – $176,010 ($8,622,224 total)
34. The Croods – $154,789 ($205,936,121 total)
44. The Hunt – $82,868 ($423,467 total)
47. The Act of Killing – $55,184 ($176,113 total)
70. Kon-Tiki – $9,647 ($1,667,999 total)
82. Dirty Wars – $3,467 ($403,379 total)
99. Searching for Sugar Man – $281 ($4,074,417 total)

Oscar Details:

• 20 Feet from Stardom: Documentary Feature [O]
• The Act of Killing: Documentary Feature
• Before Midnight: Adapted Screenplay
• Blue Jasmine: Actress (Cate Blanchett) [O], Supporting Actress (Sally Hawkins), Original Screenplay
• The Croods: Animated Feature
• Despicable Me 2: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Happy”)
• Dirty Wars: Documentary Feature
• The Great Gatsby: Production Design [O], Costume Design [O]
• The Hunt: Foreign Language Film
• Iron Man 3: Visual Effects
• Kon-Tiki: Foreign Language Film
• The Lone Ranger: Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects
• Searching for Sugar Man: Documentary Feature [O]
• Star Trek: Into Darkness: Visual Effects

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 1-3, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Dark Knight – $42,664,219 ($393,751,065 total) {week 3}
8. WALL-E – $4,603,179 ($204,078,076 total) {week 6}
11. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $2,488,525 ($71,234,335 total) {week 4}
12. Wanted – $1,239,980 ($131,320,095 total) {week 6}
15. Kung Fu Panda – $626,363 ($210,480,901 total) {week 9}
16. Iron Man – $580,179 ($315,687,768 total) {week 14}
29. Mongol – $131,388 ($5,398,009 total) {week 9}
32. The Visitor – $80,606 ($9,148,645 total) {week 17}
33. Frozen River – $70,234 ($70,234 total) {week 1}
38. Man on Wire – $48,477 ($133,737 total) {week 2}
39. Encounters at the End of the World – $46,301 ($659,666 total) {week 8}
94. The Counterfeiters – $3,259 ($5,476,356 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Dark Knight – $53,062,880 ($491,914,631 total)
8. WALL-E – $5,725,124 ($254,955,479 total)
11. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $3,095,060 ($88,993,313 total)
12. Wanted – $1,542,204 ($164,058,670 total)
15. Kung Fu Panda – $779,028 ($262,954,552 total)
16. Iron Man – $721,588 ($394,389,872 total)
29. Mongol – $163,412 ($6,743,752 total)
32. The Visitor – $100,252 ($11,429,435 total)
33. Frozen River – $87,352 ($87,744 total)
38. Man on Wire – $60,292 ($167,078 total)
39. Encounters at the End of the World – $57,586 ($824,123 total)
94. The Counterfeiters – $4,053 ($6,841,631 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Counterfeiters: Foreign Language Film [O]
• The Dark Knight: Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger) [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Encounters at the End of the World: Documentary Feature
• Frozen River: Actress (Melissa Leo), Original Screenplay
• Hellboy II: The Golden Army: Makeup
• Iron Man: Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Kung Fu Panda: Animated Feature
• Man on Wire: Documentary Feature [O]
• Mongol: Foreign Language Film
• The Visitor: Actor (Richard Jenkins)
• WALL-E: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Down to Earth”), Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Wanted: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 1-3, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $18,844,044 ($209,531,292 total) {week 4}
4. Seabiscuit – $17,636,985 ($49,223,245 total) {week 2}
7. Finding Nemo – $3,860,462 ($320,020,760 total) {week 10}
15. Whale Rider – $1,108,798 ($11,303,967 total) {week 9}
24. Dirty Pretty Things – $363,218 ($680,765 total) {week 3}
26. Winged Migration – $332,130 ($6,507,010 total) {week 16}
28. Spellbound – $175,157 ($4,753,691 total) {week 14}
35. Capturing the Friedmans – $103,072 ($2,527,366 total) {week 10}
43. Chicago – $73,051 ($170,449,649 total) {week 32}
52. Nowhere in Africa – $40,272 ($5,888,057 total) {week 22}
55. The Weather Underground – $32,232 ($179,593 total) {week 9}
62. The Barbarian Invasions – $20,216 ($4,412,640 total) {week 13}
70. City of God – $14,483 ($4,518,707 total) {week 29}
80. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $7,550 ($339,758,803 total) {week 33}
84. Balseros – $6,014 ($16,783 total) {week 2}
94. Bowling for Columbine – $3,221 ($21,553,439 total) {week 43}
109. The Man Without a Past – $2,054 ($878,765 total) {week 18}
115. The Quiet American – $1,727 ($12,987,647 total) {week 37}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $27,906,685 ($311,690,827 total)
4. Seabiscuit – $26,119,117 ($73,222,638 total)
7. Finding Nemo – $5,717,069 ($476,050,782 total)
15. Whale Rider – $1,642,051 ($16,815,354 total)
24. Dirty Pretty Things – $537,900 ($1,012,680 total)
26. Winged Migration – $491,861 ($9,679,582 total)
28. Spellbound – $259,395 ($7,071,411 total)
35. Capturing the Friedmans – $152,642 ($3,759,614 total)
43. Chicago – $108,183 ($253,554,453 total)
52. Nowhere in Africa – $59,640 ($8,758,851 total)
55. The Weather Underground – $47,733 ($267,156 total)
62. The Barbarian Invasions – $29,938 ($6,564,076 total)
70. City of God – $21,448 ($6,721,858 total)
80. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $11,181 ($505,412,349 total)
84. Balseros – $8,906 ($24,966 total)
94. Bowling for Columbine – $4,770 ($32,062,081 total)
109. The Man Without a Past – $3,042 ($1,307,218 total)
115. The Quiet American – $2,558 ($19,319,933 total)

Oscar Details:

• Balseros: Documentary Feature
• The Barbarian Invasions: Original Screenplay, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Bowling for Columbine: Documentary Feature [O]
• Capturing the Friedmans: Documentary Feature
• Chicago: Picture [O], Director, Actress (Renee Zellweger), Supporting Actor (John C. Reilly), Supporting Actress (Catherine Zeta-Jones [O], Queen Latifah), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“I Move On”), Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Sound [O]
• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• Dirty Pretty Things: Original Screenplay
• Finding Nemo: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Editing
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Picture, Editing, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Man Without a Past: Foreign Language Film
• Nowhere in Africa: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: Actor (Johnny Depp), Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• The Quiet American: Actor (Michael Caine)
• Seabiscuit: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• Spellbound: Documentary Feature
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature
• Whale Rider: Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
• Winged Migration: Documentary Feature

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 31-Aug. 2, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

1. Saving Private Ryan – $23,601,801 ($73,362,161 total) {week 2}
6. The Mask of Zorro – $8,320,932 ($61,953,317 total) {week 3}
8. Armageddon – $7,561,217 ($163,139,999 total) {week 5}
14. Mulan – $1,581,005 ($111,506,109 total) {week 7}
15. Titanic – $1,168,551 ($595,467,018 total) {week 33}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Saving Private Ryan – $44,939,037 ($140,310,999 total)
6. The Mask of Zorro – $15,843,480 ($118,490,672 total)
8. Armageddon – $14,396,944 ($312,018,292 total)
14. Mulan – $3,010,314 ($213,264,349 total)
15. Titanic – $2,224,981 ($1,138,878,284 total)

Oscar Details:

• Armageddon: Original Song (“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”), Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• The Mask of Zorro: Sound, Sound Effects
• Mulan: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Saving Private Ryan: Picture, Director [O], Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Makeup, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
• Titanic: Picture [O], Director [O], Actress (Kate Winslet), Supporting Actress (Gloria Stuart), Original Dramatic Score [O], Original Song (“My Heart Will Go On”) [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 30-Aug. 1, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

2. In the Line of Fire – $8,006,617 ($67,751,737 total) {week 4}
3. The Firm – $7,076,680 ($125,004,859 total) {week 5}
5. Jurassic Park – $6,883,315 ($283,094,155 total) {week 8}
7. Poetic Justice – $5,021,226 ($20,923,955 total) {week 2}
8. Sleepless in Seattle – $4,898,880 ($90,118,893 total) {week 6}
17. Cliffhanger – $888,440 ($78,299,666 total) {week 10}
999. Scent of a Woman – $29,625 ($63,000,644 total) {week 32}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. In the Line of Fire – $17,270,312 ($146,795,430 total)
3. The Firm – $15,264,433 ($270,843,861 total)
5. Jurassic Park – $14,847,344 ($613,370,669 total)
7. Poetic Justice – $10,830,809 ($45,335,236 total)
8. Sleepless in Seattle – $10,566,908 ($195,257,602 total)
17. Cliffhanger – $1,916,369 ($169,649,276 total)
999. Scent of a Woman – $63,901 ($136,501,395 total)

Oscar Details:

• Cliffhanger: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• The Firm: Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter), Original Score
• In the Line of Fire: Supporting Actor (John Malkovich), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Poetic Justice: Original Song (“Again”)
• Scent of a Woman: Picture, Director, Actor (Al Pacino) [O], Adapted Screenplay
• Sleepless in Seattle: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“A Wink and a Smile”)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jul. 29-31, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $6,556,367 ($95,308,294 total) {week 6}
3. Coming to America – $6,430,730 ($92,011,700 total) {week 5}
4. Die Hard – $6,107,608 ($20,140,735 total) {week 3}
8. Big – $3,152,237 ($80,460,648 total) {week 9}
11. A Fish Called Wanda – $2,004,144 ($2,408,924 total) {week 3}
13. Bull Durham – $1,800,644 ($39,389,305 total) {week 7}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $14,245,342 ($208,008,612 total)
3. Coming to America – $13,972,365 ($200,813,856 total)
4. Die Hard – $13,270,302 ($43,956,787 total)
8. Big – $6,849,021 ($175,603,896 total)
11. A Fish Called Wanda – $4,354,503 ($5,257,433 total)
13. Bull Durham – $3,912,348 ($85,966,439 total)

Oscar Details:

• Big: Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay
• Bull Durham: Original Screenplay
• Coming to America: Costume Design, Makeup
• Die Hard: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• A Fish Called Wanda: Director, Supporting Actor (Kevin Kline) [O], Original Screenplay
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O], Special Achievement Award (Animation Direction, Richard Williams)

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 5-7, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

2. Return of the Jedi – $4,499,005 ($209,656,205 total) {week 11}
7. Trading Places – $2,659,513 ($68,487,723 total) {week 9}
11. WarGames – $1,797,728 ($58,245,219 total) {week 10}
12. Flashdance – $1,468,485 ($71,216,567 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Return of the Jedi – $12,754,322 ($597,021,003 total)
7. Trading Places – $7,539,508 ($195,026,945 total)
11. WarGames – $5,096,416 ($165,860,195 total)
12. Flashdance – $4,163,038 ($202,797,653 total)

Oscar Details:

• Flashdance: Original Song (“Flashdance…What a Feeling”) [O], Original Song (“Maniac”), Editing, Cinematography
• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• Trading Places: Original Song Score
• WarGames: Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Sound