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.

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

Florence Foster Jenkins (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Meryl Streep).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 19-21, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Help – $20,018,659 ($71,340,829 total) {week 2}
2. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $16,119,502 ($133,583,862 total) {week 3}
11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $4,511,411 ($366,007,900 total) {week 6}
18. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $606,276 ($348,540,006 total) {week 8}
19. Midnight in Paris – $552,103 ($50,614,946 total) {week 14}
26. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $284,465 ($163,942,842 total) {week 13}
27. Bridesmaids – $280,595 ($167,661,310 total) {week 15}
37. The Tree of Life – $119,782 ($12,693,868 total) {week 13}
47. Beginners – $56,128 ($5,640,336 total) {week 12}
50. Rio – $38,024 ($143,558,181 total) {week 19}
61. A Better Life – $23,012 ($1,732,305 total) {week 9}
74. Incendies – $7,408 ($2,024,498 total) {week 18}
109. If a Tree Falls – $800 ($61,153 total) {week 9}
113. In a Better World – $605 ($1,005,762 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Help – $20,624,520 ($73,499,946 total)
2. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $16,607,356 ($137,626,753 total)
11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $4,647,948 ($377,085,062 total)
18. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $624,625 ($359,088,506 total)
19. Midnight in Paris – $568,812 ($52,146,798 total)
26. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $293,074 ($168,904,542 total)
27. Bridesmaids – $289,087 ($172,735,549 total)
37. The Tree of Life – $123,407 ($13,078,046 total)
47. Beginners – $57,827 ($5,811,040 total)
50. Rio – $39,175 ($147,902,943 total)
61. A Better Life – $23,708 ($1,784,733 total)
74. Incendies – $7,632 ($2,085,769 total)
109. If a Tree Falls – $824 ($63,004 total)
113. In a Better World – $623 ($1,036,201 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beginners: Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer) [O]
• A Better Life: Actor (Demian Bichir)
• Bridesmaids: Supporting Actress (Melissa McCarthy), Original Screenplay
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2: Art Direction, Makeup, Visual Effects
• The Help: Picture, Actress (Viola Davis), Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer [O])
• If a Tree Falls: Documentary Feature
• In a Better World: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Incendies: Foreign Language Film
• Kung Fu Panda 2: Animated Feature
• Midnight in Paris: Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay [O], Art Direction
• Rio: Original Song (“Real in Rio”)
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Visual Effects
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• The Tree of Life: Picture, Directing, Cinematography

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 18-20, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

7. Little Miss Sunshine – $5,610,845 ($12,692,059 total) {week 4}
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $5,212,351 ($401,253,092 total) {week 7}
14. Monster House – $1,970,819 ($67,372,407 total) {week 5}
16. The Devil Wears Prada – $1,307,434 ($118,996,040 total) {week 8}
20. The Illusionist – $927,956 ($927,956 total) {week 1}
21. Superman Returns – $848,255 ($194,165,746 total) {week 8}
25. Cars – $438,906 ($239,618,177 total) {week 11}
29. An Inconvenient Truth – $258,781 ($22,409,945 total) {week 13}
33. Click – $200,405 ($135,468,818 total) {week 9}
52. Half Nelson – $56,264 ($147,246 total) {week 2}
72. Water – $14,560 ($3,201,967 total) {week 17}
124. My Country, My Country – $1,009 ($8,081 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Little Miss Sunshine – $6,998,565 ($15,831,164 total)
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $6,501,513 ($500,494,315 total)
14. Monster House – $2,458,258 ($84,035,506 total)
16. The Devil Wears Prada – $1,630,799 ($148,427,122 total)
20. The Illusionist – $1,157,466 ($1,157,466 total)
21. Superman Returns – $1,058,052 ($242,188,419 total)
25. Cars – $547,460 ($298,882,520 total)
29. An Inconvenient Truth – $322,785 ($27,952,557 total)
33. Click – $249,971 ($168,974,083 total)
52. Half Nelson – $70,180 ($183,664 total)
72. Water – $18,161 ($3,993,904 total)
124. My Country, My Country – $1,259 ($10,080 total)

Oscar Details:

• Cars: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Our Town”)
• Click: Makeup
• The Devil Wears Prada: Actress (Meryl Streep), Costume Design
• Half Nelson: Actor (Ryan Gosling)
• The Illusionist: Cinematography
• An Inconvenient Truth: Original Song (“I Need to Wake Up” [O]), Documentary Feature [O]
• Little Miss Sunshine: Picture, Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin [O]), Supporting Actress (Abigail Breslin), Original Screenplay [O]
• Monster House: Animated Feature
• My Country, My Country: Documentary Feature
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest: Art Direction, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Superman Returns: Visual Effects
• Water: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 17-19, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

20. Shrek – $538,767 ($260,444,228 total) {week 14}
22. Ghost World – $457,683 ($1,933,037 total) {week 5}
26. Moulin Rouge! – $202,765 ($55,500,137 total) {week 14}
30. Memento – $153,202 ($24,854,680 total) {week 23}
32. Sexy Beast – $134,606 ($6,195,830 total) {week 10}
33. Pearl Harbor – $132,569 ($195,315,237 total) {week 13}
45. A.I. Artificial Intelligence – $58,210 ($78,039,227 total) {week 8}
48. Divided We Fall – $44,817 ($889,043 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

20. Shrek – $777,690 ($375,941,580 total)
22. Ghost World – $660,648 ($2,790,267 total)
26. Moulin Rouge! – $292,684 ($80,112,389 total)
30. Memento – $221,141 ($35,876,808 total)
32. Sexy Beast – $194,299 ($8,943,451 total)
33. Pearl Harbor – $191,358 ($281,930,298 total)
45. A.I. Artificial Intelligence – $84,024 ($112,646,729 total)
48. Divided We Fall – $64,692 ($1,283,301 total)

Oscar Details:

• A.I. Artificial Intelligence: Original Score, Visual Effects
• Divided We Fall: Foreign Language Film
• Ghost World: Adapted Screenplay
• Memento: Original Screenplay, Film Editing
• Moulin Rouge!: Picture, Actress (Nicole Kidman), Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
• Pearl Harbor: Original Song (“There You’ll Be”), Sound, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Sexy Beast: Supporting Actor (Ben Kingsley)
• Shrek: Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 16-18, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

5. Independence Day – $5,810,981 ($266,963,804 total) {week 7}
11. Emma – $2,525,816 ($5,288,684 total) {week 3}
14. The Nutty Professor – $1,554,485 ($117,970,630 total) {week 8}
16. Twister – $1,230,016 ($235,870,450 total) {week 15}
18. Trainspotting – $1,006,633 ($7,572,009 total) {week 5}
999. The Rock – $441,466 ($128,978,633 total) {week 11}
999. Toy Story – $28,471 ($191,702,825 total) {week 39}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Independence Day – $10,741,112 ($493,460,244 total)
11. Emma – $4,668,759 ($9,775,690 total)
14. The Nutty Professor – $2,873,335 ($218,058,834 total)
16. Twister – $2,273,582 ($435,986,782 total)
18. Trainspotting – $1,860,677 ($13,996,225 total)
999. The Rock – $816,013 ($238,406,206 total)
999. Toy Story – $52,626 ($354,346,624 total)

Oscar Details:

• Emma: Original Musical or Comedy Score [O], Costume Design
• Independence Day: Sound, Visual Effects [O]
• The Nutty Professor: Makeup [O]
• The Rock: Sound
• Toy Story: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“You’ve Got a Friend in Me”), Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Trainspotting: Adapted Screenplay
• Twister: Sound, Visual Effects

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 16-18, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $5,544,350 ($168,449,764 total) {week 7}
7. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $2,453,067 ($142,630,042 total) {week 10}
9. Boyz N the Hood – $1,924,538 ($44,266,736 total) {week 6}
11. City Slickers – $1,670,535 ($107,779,661 total) {week 11}
999. The Commitments – $271,333 ($271,333 total) {week 1}
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $174,580 ($129,749,489 total) {week 27}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $10,759,463 ($326,896,573 total)
7. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $4,760,465 ($276,790,367 total)
9. Boyz N the Hood – $3,734,792 ($85,904,806 total)
11. City Slickers – $3,241,870 ($209,159,105 total)
999. The Commitments – $526,554 ($526,554 total)
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $338,793 ($251,794,139 total)

Oscar Details:

• Boyz N the Hood: Directing, Original Screenplay
• City Slickers: Supporting Actor (Jack Palance) [O]
• The Commitments: Film Editing
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves: Original Song (“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”)
• The Silence of the Lambs: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Anthony Hopkins) [O], Actress (Jodie Foster) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Sound
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day: Editing, Cinematography, Makeup [O], Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 15-17, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Fly – $7,007,423 ($7,007,423 total) {week 1}
3. Aliens – $4,303,173 ($55,001,488 total) {week 5}
4. The Karate Kid Part II – $3,341,527 ($88,759,228 total) {week 9}
6. Top Gun – $3,117,183 ($118,913,341 total) {week 14}
999. Stand By Me – $254,428 ($665,620 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Fly – $15,431,441 ($15,431,441 total)
3. Aliens – $9,476,260 ($121,121,875 total)
4. The Karate Kid Part II – $7,358,565 ($195,461,696 total)
6. Top Gun – $6,864,524 ($261,865,767 total)
999. Stand By Me – $560,290 ($1,465,799 total)

Oscar Details:

• Aliens: Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Original Score, Film Editing, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Fly: Makeup [O]
• The Karate Kid Part II: Original Song (“Glory of Love”)
• Stand By Me: Adapted Screenplay
• Top Gun: Original Song (“Take My Breath Away” [O]), Editing, Sound, Sound Effects