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

The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Documentary Feature.

The Spectacular Now (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Original Screenplay.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of August 8-10, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Dark Knight – $26,117,030 ($441,628,497 total) {week 4}
9. WALL-E – $3,140,083 ($210,206,582 total) {week 7}
13. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $1,254,895 ($73,539,575 total) {week 5}
16. Wanted – $735,090 ($132,603,470 total) {week 7}
18. Kung Fu Panda – $473,427 ($211,355,837 total) {week 10}
19. Iron Man – $426,502 ($316,468,817 total) {week 15}
23. Man on Wire – $274,040 ($435,943 total) {week 3}
38. Mongol – $75,239 ($5,542,235 total) {week 10}
41. Frozen River – $55,522 ($168,015 total) {week 2}
44. The Visitor – $46,344 ($9,234,510 total) {week 18}
46. Encounters at the End of the World – $40,783 ($723,966 total) {week 9}
112. The Counterfeiters – $1,029 ($5,480,350 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Dark Knight – $28,881,507 ($488,374,689 total)
9. WALL-E – $3,472,459 ($232,456,861 total)
13. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – $1,387,725 ($81,323,708 total)
16. Wanted – $812,899 ($146,639,492 total)
18. Kung Fu Panda – $523,539 ($233,727,764 total)
19. Iron Man – $471,647 ($349,966,909 total)
23. Man on Wire – $303,047 ($482,087 total)
38. Mongol – $83,203 ($6,128,878 total)
41. Frozen River – $61,399 ($185,799 total)
44. The Visitor – $51,249 ($10,211,979 total)
46. Encounters at the End of the World – $45,100 ($800,597 total)
112. The Counterfeiters – $1,138 ($6,060,443 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

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of August 8-10, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $13,022,470 ($232,750,629 total) {week 5}
5. Seabiscuit – $11,957,955 ($69,509,360 total) {week 3}
9. Finding Nemo – $2,512,275 ($324,916,113 total) {week 11}
13. Whale Rider – $927,408 ($12,836,967 total) {week 10}
21. Dirty Pretty Things – $410,636 ($1,259,339 total) {week 4}
27. Winged Migration – $307,524 ($7,049,362 total) {week 17}
37. Spellbound – $122,364 ($4,976,508 total) {week 15}
40. Capturing the Friedmans – $97,449 ($2,680,454 total) {week 11}
50. Chicago – $55,106 ($170,547,681 total) {week 33}
57. Nowhere in Africa – $39,973 ($5,955,712 total) {week 23}
64. The Barbarian Invasions – $23,912 ($4,466,092 total) {week 14}
72. The Weather Underground – $15,405 ($219,006 total) {week 10}
74. City of God – $14,358 ($4,543,107 total) {week 30}
86. The Man Without a Past – $8,529 ($893,637 total) {week 19}
99. Frida – $6,060 ($25,885,000 total) {week 31}
103. Bowling for Columbine – $4,260 ($21,560,052 total) {week 44}
999. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $7,792 ($339,772,508 total) {week 34}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $17,147,332 ($306,474,294 total)
5. Seabiscuit – $15,745,632 ($91,526,421 total)
9. Finding Nemo – $3,308,037 ($427,833,157 total)
13. Whale Rider – $1,221,164 ($16,903,071 total)
21. Dirty Pretty Things – $540,705 ($1,658,234 total)
27. Winged Migration – $404,932 ($9,282,244 total)
37. Spellbound – $161,123 ($6,552,815 total)
40. Capturing the Friedmans – $128,316 ($3,529,487 total)
50. Chicago – $72,561 ($224,568,588 total)
57. Nowhere in Africa – $52,634 ($7,842,181 total)
64. The Barbarian Invasions – $31,486 ($5,880,725 total)
72. The Weather Underground – $20,285 ($288,376 total)
74. City of God – $18,906 ($5,982,134 total)
86. The Man Without a Past – $11,231 ($1,176,696 total)
99. Frida – $7,980 ($34,084,063 total)
103. Bowling for Columbine – $5,609 ($28,389,190 total)
999. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $10,260 ($447,395,309 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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
• Frida: Actress, Original Score [O], Original Song (“Burn It Blue”), Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup [O]
• 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
• 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

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of August 7-9, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

1. Saving Private Ryan – $17,398,000 ($103,770,977 total) {week 3}
8. The Mask of Zorro – $5,508,627 ($71,641,665 total) {week 4}
9. Armageddon – $5,318,807 ($172,771,899 total) {week 6}
14. Mulan – $1,040,389 ($113,608,414 total) {week 8}
16. Titanic – $965,212 ($597,285,686 total) {week 34}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Saving Private Ryan – $29,454,183 ($175,680,503 total)
8. The Mask of Zorro – $9,325,906 ($121,286,742 total)
9. Armageddon – $9,004,547 ($292,496,562 total)
14. Mulan – $1,761,341 ($192,334,927 total)
16. Titanic – $1,634,069 ($1,011,183,016 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]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of August 6-8, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Fugitive – $23,758,855 ($23,758,855 total) {week 1}
3. In the Line of Fire – $5,810,389 ($77,351,000 total) {week 5}
5. Jurassic Park – $5,117,615 ($292,168,690 total) {week 9}
6. The Firm – $4,700,045 ($133,269,804 total) {week 6}
8. Sleepless in Seattle – $3,652,362 ($96,478,551 total) {week 7}
10. Poetic Justice – $2,102,095 ($25,107,237 total) {week 3}
999. Scent of a Woman – $26,605 ($63,091,398 total) {week 33}
999. The Wedding Banquet – $134,870 ($134,870 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Fugitive – $45,566,500 ($45,566,500 total)
3. In the Line of Fire – $11,143,596 ($148,349,502 total)
5. Jurassic Park – $9,814,943 ($560,342,850 total)
6. The Firm – $9,014,096 ($255,594,745 total)
8. Sleepless in Seattle – $7,004,772 ($185,033,743 total)
10. Poetic Justice – $4,031,554 ($48,152,527 total)
999. Scent of a Woman – $51,025 ($121,001,377 total)
999. The Wedding Banquet – $258,664 ($258,664 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Firm: Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter), Original Score
• The Fugitive: Picture, Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones) [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects
• 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”)
• The Wedding Banquet: Foreign Language Film

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of August 5-7, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $5,895,616 ($105,420,503 total) {week 7}
3. Die Hard – $5,738,404 ($29,417,206 total) {week 4}
4. Coming to America – $5,065,482 ($100,477,310 total) {week 6}
7. Big – $2,709,551 ($85,062,070 total) {week 10}
12. Bull Durham – $1,426,747 ($41,721,708 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $11,389,584 ($203,659,074 total)
3. Die Hard – $11,085,871 ($56,830,320 total)
4. Coming to America – $9,785,870 ($194,109,450 total)
7. Big – $5,234,510 ($164,329,157 total)
12. Bull Durham – $2,756,295 ($80,601,061 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
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O], Special Achievement Award (Animation Direction, Richard Williams)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of August 12-14, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

4. Return of the Jedi – $3,759,299 ($216,873,917 total) {week 12}
6. Trading Places – $2,378,675 ($742,268,923 total) {week 10}
8. WarGames – $1,753,897 ($61,168,601 total) {week 11}
14. Flashdance – $1,327,937 ($73,552,047 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Return of the Jedi – $9,475,820 ($546,659,969 total)
6. Trading Places – $5,995,771 ($1,870,988,968 total)
8. WarGames – $4,420,934 ($154,183,712 total)
14. Flashdance – $3,347,244 ($185,397,858 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