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

None

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 27-29, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

7. Inception – $4,876,356 ($270,519,920 total) {week 7}
15. Salt – $1,883,890 ($113,260,644 total) {week 6}
19. Toy Story 3 – $1,010,710 ($405,659,221 total) {week 11}
21. The Kids Are All Right – $522,172 ($19,149,701 total) {week 8}
38. Winter’s Bone – $146,921 ($5,432,117 total) {week 12}
39. Animal Kingdom – $123,594 ($372,511 total) {week 3}
44. I Am Love – $64,776 ($4,535,786 total) {week 11}
50. Restrepo – $40,812 ($1,123,818 total) {week 10}
66. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $12,769 ($3,200,414 total) {week 20}
74. The Secret in Their Eyes – $7,497 ($6,330,411 total) {week 20}
89. The Milk of Sorrow – $1,914 ($1,914 total) {week 1}
92. Dogtooth – $1,453 ($47,304 total) {week 10}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Inception – $5,049,408 ($280,120,120 total)
15. Salt – $1,950,745 ($117,280,033 total)
19. Toy Story 3 – $1,046,578 ($420,055,239 total)
21. The Kids Are All Right – $540,703 ($19,829,285 total)
38. Winter’s Bone – $152,135 ($5,624,892 total)
39. Animal Kingdom – $127,980 ($385,731 total)
44. I Am Love – $67,075 ($4,696,752 total)
50. Restrepo – $42,260 ($1,163,700 total)
66. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $13,222 ($3,313,990 total)
74. The Secret in Their Eyes – $7,763 ($6,555,064 total)
89. The Milk of Sorrow – $1,982 ($1,982 total)
92. Dogtooth – $1,505 ($48,983 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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
• The Milk of Sorrow : Foreign Language Film
• 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 Sep. 2-4, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

3. The Constant Gardener – $8,673,803 ($10,395,799 total) {week 1}
8. March of the Penguins – $4,059,429 ($62,064,296 total) {week 11}
14. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $1,755,422 ($200,713,172 total) {week 8}
24. War of the Worlds – $447,055 ($232,500,642 total) {week 10}
26. Batman Begins – $348,212 ($203,550,460 total) {week 12}
29. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $244,917 ($379,743,566 total) {week 16}
30. Junebug – $231,739 ($1,069,097 total) {week 5}
35. Hustle & Flow – $97,063 ($21,916,181 total) {week 7}
36. Crash – $95,229 ($53,278,804 total) {week 18}
52. Cinderella Man – $40,880 ($61,541,000 total) {week 14}
53. Murderball – $33,257 ($1,382,401 total) {week 9}
70. Howl’s Moving Castle – $13,879 ($4,665,620 total) {week 13}
104. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $2,944 ($4,058,998 total) {week 20}
106. Darwin’s Nightmare – $25,573 ($49,113 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. The Constant Gardener – $11,055,378 ($13,250,184 total)
8. March of the Penguins – $5,174,030 ($79,105,351 total)
14. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $2,237,410 ($255,823,185 total)
24. War of the Worlds – $569,803 ($296,338,572 total)
26. Batman Begins – $443,821 ($259,439,510 total)
29. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $312,164 ($484,010,130 total)
30. Junebug – $295,368 ($1,362,640 total)
35. Hustle & Flow – $123,714 ($27,933,728 total)
36. Crash – $121,376 ($67,907,618 total)
52. Cinderella Man – $52,104 ($78,438,373 total)
53. Murderball – $42,388 ($1,761,968 total)
70. Howl’s Moving Castle – $17,690 ($5,946,664 total)
104. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $3,752 ($5,173,481 total)
106. Darwin’s Nightmare – $32,595 ($62,598 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Begins: Cinematography
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Costume Design
• Cinderella Man: Supporting Actor (Paul Giamatti), Editing, Makeup
• The Constant Gardener: Supporting Actress (Rachel Weisz) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Origianl Score, Editing
• 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 Sep. 1-3, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Cell – $8,929,313 ($46,270,539 total) {week 3}
2. Space Cowboys – $6,715,332 ($72,609,786 total) {week 5}
9. Hollow Man – $2,026,625 ($69,711,366 total) {week 5}
10. The Perfect Storm – $1,348,499 ($177,487,674 total) {week 10}
26. The Patriot – $677,602 ($111,802,610 total) {week 10}
27. Gladiator – $513,553 ($183,479,397 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Cell – $13,534,784 ($70,135,492 total)
2. Space Cowboys – $10,178,898 ($110,059,731 total)
9. Hollow Man – $3,071,897 ($105,666,393 total)
10. The Perfect Storm – $2,044,014 ($269,030,482 total)
26. The Patriot – $1,027,089 ($169,467,036 total)
27. Gladiator – $778,428 ($278,112,555 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 Sep. 1-3, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

6. Babe – $4,561,765 ($43,211,875 total) {week 5}
8. The Usual Suspects – $3,727,472 ($5,701,133 total) {week 3}
9. Waterworld – $3,476,230 ($81,255,765 total) {week 6}
10. Apollo 13 – $2,507,065 ($161,481,355 total) {week 10}
18. Batman Forever – $944,204 ($180,939,732 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Babe – $8,567,729 ($81,158,855 total)
8. The Usual Suspects – $7,000,792 ($10,707,645 total)
9. Waterworld – $6,528,919 ($152,611,402 total)
10. Apollo 13 – $4,708,672 ($303,287,970 total)
18. Batman Forever – $1,773,367 ($339,833,933 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
• The Usual Suspects: Supporting Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Original Screenplay [O]
• Waterworld: Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 31-Sep. 2, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Ghost – $9,953,630 ($125,016,532 total) {week 8}
4. Flatliners – $5,229,574 ($40,051,138 total) {week 4}
9. Young Guns II – $2,393,521 ($34,297,847 total) {week 5}
14. Wild at Heart – $1,858,379 ($8,824,818 total) {week 3}
999. Total Recall – $453,096 ($116,559,402 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Ghost – $19,224,860 ($241,462,191 total)
4. Flatliners – $10,100,619 ($77,356,453 total)
9. Young Guns II – $4,622,947 ($66,244,305 total)
14. Wild at Heart – $3,589,351 ($17,044,625 total)
999. Total Recall – $875,129 ($225,127,734 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. 30-Sep. 1, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Back to the Future – $7,149,345 ($130,764,095 total) {week 9}
12. Cocoon – $1,778,029 ($69,183,076 total) {week 11}
14. Silverado – $1,298,206 ($27,748,105 total) {week 8}
15. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $1,241,951 ($145,810,737 total) {week 15}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Back to the Future – $16,453,563 ($300,941,593 total)
12. Cocoon – $4,091,971 ($159,218,516 total)
14. Silverado – $2,987,702 ($63,859,723 total)
15. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $2,858,237 ($335,570,062 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