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

The Man form U.N.C.L.E. (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing.

Straight Outta Compton (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 13-15, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

4. Inception – $11,285,051 ($248,469,482 total) {week 5}
9. Salt – $6,219,502 ($103,438,273 total) {week 4}
11. Toy Story 3 – $2,222,731 ($400,824,826 total) {week 9}
13. The Kids Are All Right – $1,352,585 ($16,721,391 total) {week 6}
28. Winter’s Bone – $223,850 ($4,855,340 total) {week 10}
30. I Am Love – $139,904 ($4,195,031 total) {week 9}
38. Restrepo – $73,442 ($950,031 total) {week 8}
41. Animal Kingdom – $61,968 ($61,968 total) {week 1}
56. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $21,717 ($3,150,068 total) {week 18}
61. The Secret in Their Eyes – $15,455 ($6,297,625 total) {week 18}
99. Dogtooth – $772 ($45,526 total) {week 8}
105. Ajami – $477 ($619,123 total) {week 28}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Inception – $11,685,534 ($257,287,157 total)
9. Salt – $6,440,219 ($107,109,086 total)
11. Toy Story 3 – $2,301,611 ($415,049,281 total)
13. The Kids Are All Right – $1,400,585 ($17,314,799 total)
28. Winter’s Bone – $231,794 ($5,027,646 total)
30. I Am Love – $144,869 ($4,343,904 total)
38. Restrepo – $76,048 ($983,746 total)
41. Animal Kingdom – $64,167 ($64,167 total)
56. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $22,488 ($3,261,857 total)
61. The Secret in Their Eyes – $16,003 ($6,521,115 total)
99. Dogtooth – $799 ($47,142 total)
105. Ajami – $494 ($641,094 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ajami: Foreign Language Film
• Animal Kingdom: Supporting Actress (Jacki Weaver)
• 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
• 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. 19-21, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

6. March of the Penguins – $6,487,696 ($48,444,218 total) {week 9}
9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $4,434,453 ($192,638,088 total) {week 6}
16. War of the Worlds – $1,057,340 ($230,614,825 total) {week 8}
19. Batman Begins – $632,369 ($202,285,638 total) {week 10}
23. Hustle & Flow – $359,783 ($21,425,299 total) {week 5}
24. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $327,011 ($378,977,117 total) {week 14}
32. Cinderella Man – $143,865 ($61,345,700 total) {week 12}
37. Junebug – $119,637 ($447,140 total) {week 3}
43. Crash – $85,460 ($52,931,832 total) {week 16}
47. Murderball – $65,065 ($1,254,038 total) {week 7}
61. Howl’s Moving Castle – $19,386 ($4,612,726 total) {week 11}
80. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $6,144 ($4,034,298 total) {week 18}
83. Darwin’s Nightmare – $5,381 ($35,195 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. March of the Penguins – $8,269,029 ($61,745,595 total)
9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $5,652,025 ($245,530,917 total)
16. War of the Worlds – $1,347,655 ($293,934,964 total)
19. Batman Begins – $805,999 ($257,827,404 total)
23. Hustle & Flow – $458,569 ($27,308,064 total)
24. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $416,799 ($483,033,236 total)
32. Cinderella Man – $183,366 ($78,189,449 total)
37. Junebug – $152,486 ($569,912 total)
43. Crash – $108,925 ($67,465,377 total)
47. Murderball – $82,930 ($1,598,360 total)
61. Howl’s Moving Castle – $24,709 ($5,879,247 total)
80. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $7,831 ($5,141,999 total)
83. Darwin’s Nightmare – $6,858 ($44,859 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
• War of the Worlds: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 18-20, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Cell – $17,515,050 ($17,515,050 total) {week 1}
3. Space Cowboys – $9,476,221 ($53,783,126 total) {week 3}
7. Hollow Man – $6,010,644 ($61,577,725 total) {week 3}
13. The Perfect Storm – $1,811,490 ($173,607,196 total) {week 8}
17. The Patriot – $982,544 ($110,004,329 total) {week 8}
23. Gladiator – $296,832 ($182,131,600 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Cell – $26,548,786 ($26,548,786 total)
3. Space Cowboys – $14,363,771 ($81,522,846 total)
7. Hollow Man – $9,110,754 ($93,337,665 total)
13. The Perfect Storm – $2,745,802 ($263,148,570 total)
17. The Patriot – $1,489,311 ($166,741,256 total)
23. Gladiator – $449,929 ($276,069,605 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Cell: Makeup
• 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

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 18-20, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

5. Waterworld – $5,308,605 ($70,077,295 total) {week 4}
6. Babe – $5,146,290 ($30,187,630 total) {week 3}
8. Apollo 13 – $3,601,620 ($153,576,180 total) {week 8}
15. Pocahontas – $906,813 ($134,574,663 total) {week 10}
18. The Usual Suspects – $645,363 ($645,363 total) {week 1}
999. Batman Forever – $253,204 ($178,229,666 total) {week 10}
999. Braveheart – $197,525 ($60,082,703 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Waterworld – $9,970,414 ($131,616,437 total)
6. Babe – $9,665,561 ($56,697,227 total)
8. Apollo 13 – $6,764,422 ($288,440,779 total)
15. Pocahontas – $1,703,141 ($252,752,873 total)
18. The Usual Suspects – $1,212,096 ($1,212,096 total)
999. Batman Forever – $475,558 ($334,743,993 total)
999. Braveheart – $370,984 ($112,844,985 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]
• The Usual Suspects: Supporting Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Original Screenplay [O]
• Waterworld: Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 17-19, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

2. Ghost – $8,364,565 ($99,166,346 total) {week 6}
3. Flatliners – $7,056,904 ($23,059,421 total) {week 2}
9. Young Guns II – $3,118,748 ($27,330,250 total) {week 3}
10. Wild at Heart – $2,913,764 ($2,913,764 total) {week 1}
999. Total Recall – $602,700 ($115,105,635 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Ghost – $16,155,673 ($191,534,054 total)
3. Flatliners – $13,630,001 ($44,537,936 total)
9. Young Guns II – $6,023,681 ($52,786,795 total)
10. Wild at Heart – $5,627,766 ($5,627,766 total)
999. Total Recall – $1,164,080 ($222,319,867 total)

Oscar Details:

• Flatliners: Sound Effects Editing
• Ghost: Picture, Supporting Actress (Whoopi Goldberg) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing
• Total Recall: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]
• Wild at Heart: Supporting Actress (Diane Ladd)
• Young Guns II: Original Song (“Blaze of Glory”)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 16-18, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Back to the Future – $7,252,140 ($108,239,135 total) {week 7}
10. Cocoon – $1,771,970 ($63,235,816 total) {week 9}
14. Silverado – $1,252,534 ($24,214,759 total) {week 6}
17. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $1,042,479 ($142,416,504 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Back to the Future – $16,690,136 ($249,102,460 total)
10. Cocoon – $4,078,027 ($145,531,441 total)
14. Silverado – $2,882,592 ($55,728,051 total)
17. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $2,399,170 ($327,758,546 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. 15-17, 1980

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Empire Strikes Back – $4,321,216 ($145,893,923 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Empire Strikes Back – $13,124,288 ($443,105,335 total)

Oscar Details:

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