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

None

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 24-26, 2007

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Bourne Ultimatum – $12,472,215 ($185,253,615 total) {week 4}
18. Ratatouille – $1,168,729 ($199,064,945 total) {week 9}
19. Transformers – $1,148,876 ($308,597,165 total) {week 8}
27. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $310,765 ($308,140,022 total) {week 14}
31. Once – $215,807 ($7,629,391 total) {week 15}
35. Sicko – $140,179 ($23,881,842 total) {week 10}
37. No End in Sight – $136,589 ($598,122 total) {week 5}
42. Surf’s Up – $116,980 ($58,867,694 total) {week 12}
43. La Vie en Rose – $106,775 ($9,424,602 total) {week 12}
79. The Lives of Others – $6,656 ($11,273,091 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Bourne Ultimatum – $12,472,215 ($185,253,615 total)
18. Ratatouille – $1,168,729 ($199,064,945 total)
19. Transformers – $1,148,876 ($308,597,165 total)
27. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $310,765 ($308,140,022 total)
31. Once – $215,807 ($7,629,391 total)
35. Sicko – $140,179 ($23,881,842 total)
37. No End in Sight – $136,589 ($598,122 total)
42. Surf’s Up – $116,980 ($58,867,694 total)
43. La Vie en Rose – $106,775 ($9,424,602 total)
79. The Lives of Others – $6,656 ($11,273,091 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Bourne Ultimatum: Film Editing [O], Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O]
• The Lives of Others: Foreign Language Film
• No End in Sight: Documentary Feature
• Once: Original Song [O]
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End: Makeup, Visual Effects
• Ratatouille: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Sicko: Documentary Feature
• Surf’s Up: Animated Feature
• Transformers: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• La Vie en Rose: Actress [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O]

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 23-25, 2002

Weekend Box Office:

4. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $7,261,842 ($63,690,730 total) {week 19}
11. Road to Perdition – $2,723,997 ($94,633,258 total) {week 7}
21. Minority Report – $425,584 ($129,828,482 total) {week 10}
22. Lilo & Stitch – $363,607 ($140,200,685 total) {week 10}
25. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $314,237 ($299,916,358 total) {week 15}
49. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron – $47,403 ($73,215,310 total) {week 14}
54. Monsters, Inc. – $41,888 ($255,745,941 total) {week 41}
79. Ice Age – $14,154 ($176,362,826 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $7,261,842 ($63,690,730 total)
11. Road to Perdition – $2,723,997 ($94,633,258 total)
21. Minority Report – $425,584 ($129,828,482 total)
22. Lilo & Stitch – $363,607 ($140,200,685 total)
25. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $314,237 ($299,916,358 total)
49. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron – $47,403 ($73,215,310 total)
54. Monsters, Inc. – $41,888 ($255,745,941 total)
79. Ice Age – $14,154 ($176,362,826 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ice Age: Animated Feature
• Lilo & Stitch: Animated Feature
• Minority Report: Sound Editing
• Monsters, Inc.: Animated Feature, Original Song (If I Didn’t Have You [O]), Original Score, Sound Editing
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Original Screenplay
• Road to Perdition: Supporting Actor (Paul Newman), Original Score, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound, Sound Editing
• Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron: Animated Feature
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones: Visual Effects

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 22-24, 1997

Weekend Box Office:

3. Air Force One – $7,870,403 ($143,092,008 total) {week 5}
10. Men in Black – $2,881,113 ($230,502,569 total) {week 8}
11. Contact – $2,110,003 ($92,151,875 total) {week 7}
16. My Best Friend’s Wedding – $1,028,840 ($118,011,868 total) {week 10}
999. Con Air – $963,436 ($97,820,698 total) {week 12}
999. The Full Monty – $244,767 ($612,311 total) {week 2}
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $472,080 ($227,308,399 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Air Force One – $7,870,403 ($143,092,008 total)
10. Men in Black – $2,881,113 ($230,502,569 total)
11. Contact – $2,110,003 ($92,151,875 total)
16. My Best Friend’s Wedding – $1,028,840 ($118,011,868 total)
999. Con Air – $963,436 ($97,820,698 total)
999. The Full Monty – $244,767 ($612,311 total)
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $472,080 ($227,308,399 total)

Oscar Details:

• Air Force One: Editing, Sound
• Con Air: Original Song (“How Do I Live”), Sound
• Contact: Sound
• The Full Monty: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Original Musical or Comedy Score [O]
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park: Visual Effects
• Men in Black: Original Musical or Comedy Score, Art Direction, Makeup [O]
• My Best Friend’s Wedding: Original Comedy/Musical Score

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 21-23, 1992

Weekend Box Office:

1. Unforgiven – $7,741,277 ($46,130,479 total) {week 3}
4. Death Becomes Her – $3,806,650 ($41,926,820 total) {week 4}
999. Batman Returns – $266,448 ($156,950,109 total) {week 10}
999. Enchanted April – $679,647 ($1,826,341 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Unforgiven – $7,741,277 ($46,130,479 total)
4. Death Becomes Her – $3,806,650 ($41,926,820 total)
999. Batman Returns – $266,448 ($156,950,109 total)
999. Enchanted April – $679,647 ($1,826,341 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Returns: Makeup, Visual Effects
• Death Becomes Her: Visual Effects [O]
• Enchanted April: Supporting Actress (Joan Plowright), Adapted Screenplay, Costume Design
• Unforgiven: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman) [O], Original Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 21-23, 1987

Weekend Box Office:

4. Dirty Dancing – $3,900,000 ($3,900,000 total) {week 1}
9. Robocop – $2,139,220 ($42,007,338 total) {week 6}
14. Full Metal Jacket – $1,150,462 ($40,324,497 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Dirty Dancing – $3,900,000 ($3,900,000 total)
9. Robocop – $2,139,220 ($42,007,338 total)
14. Full Metal Jacket – $1,150,462 ($40,324,497 total)

Oscar Details:

• Dirty Dancing: Original Song (“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”) [O]
• Full Metal Jacket: Adapted Screenplay
• Robocop: Film Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 20-22, 1982

Weekend Box Office:

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $7,684,162 ($215,707,267 total) {week 11}
3. An Officer and a Gentleman – $5,338,434 ($25,300,837 total) {week 4}
5. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $2,931,803 ($53,374,789 total) {week 5}
9. The World According to Garp – $1,883,834 ($17,274,992 total) {week 5}
12. Rocky III – $1,793,805 ($105,961,800 total) {week 13}
14. Poltergeist – $1,279,800 ($62,285,580 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $7,684,162 ($215,707,267 total)
3. An Officer and a Gentleman – $5,338,434 ($25,300,837 total)
5. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $2,931,803 ($53,374,789 total)
9. The World According to Garp – $1,883,834 ($17,274,992 total)
12. Rocky III – $1,793,805 ($105,961,800 total)
14. Poltergeist – $1,279,800 ($62,285,580 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas: Supporting Actor (Charles Durning)
• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Sound [O], Sound Effects Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• An Officer and a Gentleman: Actress (Debra Winger), Supporting Actor (Louis Gossett Jr.) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Up Where We Belong”) [O], Original Score, Film Editing
• Poltergeist: Original Score, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Rocky III: Original Song (“Eye of the Tiger”)
• The World According to Garp: Supporting Actor (John Lithgow), Supporting Actress (Glenn Close)