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

The Light Between Oceans (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actor (Michael Fassbender), Actress (Alicia Vikander), Supporting Actress (Rachel Weisz), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography, Prodcution Design, Costume Design.

Max Rose (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actor (Jerry Lewis).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 9-11, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Help – $8,926,142 ($137,327,800 total) {week 5}
3. Warrior – $5,242,107 ($5,242,107 total) {week 1}
6. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $3,886,285 ($167,847,116 total) {week 6}
16. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $1,001,583 ($377,104,684 total) {week 9}
24. Midnight in Paris – $415,831 ($53,531,714 total) {week 17}
35. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $174,938 ($350,800,077 total) {week 11}
37. Bridesmaids – $158,585 ($168,748,585 total) {week 18}
39. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $122,857 ($165,001,609 total) {week 16}
52. The Tree of Life – $47,109 ($13,090,521 total) {week 16}
88. Incendies – $5,652 ($2,064,985 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Help – $9,196,290 ($141,484,001 total)
3. Warrior – $5,400,758 ($5,400,758 total)
6. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $4,003,903 ($172,926,978 total)
16. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $1,031,896 ($388,517,688 total)
24. Midnight in Paris – $428,416 ($55,151,842 total)
35. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $180,232 ($361,416,977 total)
37. Bridesmaids – $163,385 ($173,855,730 total)
39. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $126,575 ($169,995,353 total)
52. The Tree of Life – $48,535 ($13,486,703 total)
88. Incendies – $5,823 ($2,127,481 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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])
• Incendies: Foreign Language Film
• Kung Fu Panda 2: Animated Feature
• Midnight in Paris: Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay [O], Art Direction
• 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
• Warrior: Supporting Actor (Nick Nolte)

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 8-10, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

6. The Illusionist – $4,514,306 ($17,963,845 total) {week 4}
7. Little Miss Sunshine – $4,273,545 ($41,494,873 total) {week 7}
14. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $1,994,611 ($416,591,183 total) {week 10}
20. Cars – $478,322 ($242,618,740 total) {week 14}
21. The Devil Wears Prada – $474,500 ($122,676,388 total) {week 11}
23. Superman Returns – $453,273 ($197,430,626 total) {week 11}
24. Monster House – $451,667 ($71,423,510 total) {week 8}
29. Click – $250,552 ($136,812,330 total) {week 12}
31. Half Nelson – $226,840 ($1,070,302 total) {week 5}
42. An Inconvenient Truth – $108,061 ($23,353,499 total) {week 16}
87. Water – $4,356 ($3,228,780 total) {week 20}
97. My Country, My Country – $2,602 ($18,658 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. The Illusionist – $5,630,821 ($22,406,811 total)
7. Little Miss Sunshine – $5,330,513 ($51,757,727 total)
14. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $2,487,935 ($519,625,949 total)
20. Cars – $596,625 ($302,625,207 total)
21. The Devil Wears Prada – $591,857 ($153,017,724 total)
23. Superman Returns – $565,380 ($246,260,796 total)
24. Monster House – $563,377 ($89,088,561 total)
29. Click – $312,521 ($170,649,883 total)
31. Half Nelson – $282,944 ($1,335,018 total)
42. An Inconvenient Truth – $134,788 ($29,129,479 total)
87. Water – $5,433 ($4,027,348 total)
97. My Country, My Country – $3,246 ($23,273 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 Sep. 7-9, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

22. Shrek – $435,565 ($263,482,327 total) {week 17}
25. Ghost World – $374,998 ($3,710,186 total) {week 8}
32. Pearl Harbor – $183,145 ($197,017,228 total) {week 16}
40. Moulin Rouge! – $110,782 ($56,256,886 total) {week 17}
42. A.I. Artificial Intelligence – $94,750 ($78,474,311 total) {week 11}
51. Memento – $63,315 ($25,342,252 total) {week 26}
56. Sexy Beast – $50,674 ($6,582,367 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

22. Shrek – $628,722 ($380,326,963 total)
25. Ghost World – $541,296 ($5,355,516 total)
32. Pearl Harbor – $264,363 ($284,387,059 total)
40. Moulin Rouge! – $159,910 ($81,204,728 total)
42. A.I. Artificial Intelligence – $136,768 ($113,274,756 total)
51. Memento – $91,393 ($36,580,601 total)
56. Sexy Beast – $73,146 ($9,501,403 total)

Oscar Details:

• A.I. Artificial Intelligence: Original Score, Visual Effects
• 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 Sep. 6-8, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

7. Independence Day – $2,848,204 ($285,620,448 total) {week 10}
12. Emma – $1,771,736 ($15,865,192 total) {week 6}
999. The Rock – $646,124 ($131,559,405 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Independence Day – $5,264,667 ($527,945,489 total)
12. Emma – $3,274,906 ($29,325,479 total)
999. The Rock – $1,194,306 ($243,176,547 total)

Oscar Details:

• Emma: Original Musical or Comedy Score [O], Costume Design
• Independence Day: Sound, Visual Effects [O]
• The Rock: Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 6-8, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $3,106,995 ($187,253,083 total) {week 10}
7. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $2,104,058 ($153,118,105 total) {week 13}
9. City Slickers – $1,477,541 ($114,387,110 total) {week 14}
10. Boyz N the Hood – $1,272,219 ($50,977,803 total) {week 9}
12. The Commitments – $910,129 ($3,522,617 total) {week 4}
999. Barton Fink – $184,613 ($1,122,920 total) {week 3}
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $92,765 ($130,280,726 total) {week 30}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $6,029,489 ($363,386,624 total)
7. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $4,083,172 ($297,143,686 total)
9. City Slickers – $2,867,342 ($221,981,636 total)
10. Boyz N the Hood – $2,468,891 ($98,928,421 total)
12. The Commitments – $1,766,212 ($6,836,052 total)
999. Barton Fink – $358,263 ($2,179,158 total)
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $180,021 ($252,825,067 total)

Oscar Details:

• Barton Fink: Supporting Actor (Michael Lerner), Art Direction, Costume Design
• 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 Sep. 5-7, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

1. Stand By Me – $3,426,615 ($16,681,881 total) {week 5}
2. Top Gun – $3,285,555 ($135,636,648 total) {week 17}
3. The Fly – $2,501,186 ($26,138,982 total) {week 4}
4. The Karate Kid Part II – $2,285,141 ($101,718,904 total) {week 12}
5. Aliens – $2,114,578 ($69,274,605 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Stand By Me – $7,545,942 ($36,736,110 total)
2. Top Gun – $7,235,306 ($298,693,104 total)
3. The Fly – $5,508,003 ($57,562,125 total)
4. The Karate Kid Part II – $5,032,238 ($224,000,929 total)
5. Aliens – $4,656,631 ($152,553,510 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