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

Napping Princess (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 7-9, 2012

Weekend Box Office:

5. ParaNorman – $4,195,415 ($45,452,876 total) {week 4}
18. Marvel’s The Avengers – $786,181 ($621,414,627 total) {week 19}
20. Brave – $720,572 ($233,397,964 total) {week 12}
22. Ted – $548,730 ($216,858,060 total) {week 11}
26. Beasts of the Southern Wild – $358,952 ($10,272,091 total) {week 11}
31. Moonrise Kingdom – $229,830 ($44,640,048 total) {week 16}
41. Searching for Sugar Man – $114,455 ($892,596 total) {week 7}
58. Prometheus – $28,434 ($126,429,117 total) {week 14}
95. A Cat in Paris – $3,543 ($309,360 total) {week 15}
109. The Invisible War – $696 ($58,492 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. ParaNorman – $4,306,098 ($46,652,010 total)
18. Marvel’s The Avengers – $806,922 ($637,808,731 total)
20. Brave – $739,582 ($239,555,448 total)
22. Ted – $563,207 ($222,579,190 total)
26. Beasts of the Southern Wild – $368,422 ($10,543,088 total)
31. Moonrise Kingdom – $235,893 ($45,817,738 total)
41. Searching for Sugar Man – $117,475 ($916,144 total)
58. Prometheus – $29,184 ($129,764,559 total)
95. A Cat in Paris – $3,636 ($317,522 total)
109. The Invisible War – $714 ($60,035 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beasts of the Southern Wild: Picture, Directing, Actress (Quvenzhane Wallis), Adapted Screenplay
• Brave: Animated Feature [O]
• A Cat in Paris: Animated Feature
• The Invisible War: Documentary Feature
• Marvel’s The Avengers: Visual Effects
• Moonrise Kingdom: Original Screenplay
• ParaNorman: Animated Feature
• Prometheus: Visual Effects
• Searching for Sugar Man: Documentary Feature [O]
• Ted: Original Song (“Everybody Needs a Best Friend”)

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 7-9, 2007

Weekend Box Office:

5. The Bourne Ultimatum – $5,673,850 ($210,294,605 total) {week 6}
21. Transformers – $605,328 ($311,381,546 total) {week 10}
22. Ratatouille – $570,557 ($201,994,077 total) {week 11}
28. Once – $218,359 ($8,407,449 total) {week 17}
31. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $192,046 ($308,929,593 total) {week 16}
37. No End in Sight – $140,397 ($1,087,888 total) {week 7}
41. La Vie en Rose – $77,684 ($9,741,898 total) {week 15}
45. Sicko – $68,885 ($24,236,504 total) {week 12}
110. The Lives of Others – $1,940 ($11,284,657 total) {week 31}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. The Bourne Ultimatum – $6,737,697 ($249,724,843 total)
21. Transformers – $718,827 ($369,765,586 total)
22. Ratatouille – $677,536 ($239,867,966 total)
28. Once – $259,301 ($9,983,846 total)
31. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $228,055 ($366,853,892 total)
37. No End in Sight – $166,721 ($1,291,867 total)
41. La Vie en Rose – $92,250 ($11,568,504 total)
45. Sicko – $81,801 ($28,780,849 total)
110. The Lives of Others – $2,304 ($13,400,530 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
• Transformers: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• La Vie en Rose: Actress (Marion Cotillard) [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O]

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 6-8, 2002

Weekend Box Office:

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $10,372,316 ($95,824,732 total) {week 21}
14. Road to Perdition – $1,278,478 ($101,142,829 total) {week 9}
22. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $362,441 ($301,131,584 total) {week 17}
24. Lilo & Stitch – $343,282 ($142,715,095 total) {week 12}
25. Minority Report – $269,933 ($130,990,143 total) {week 12}
67. Monsters, Inc. – $20,197 ($255,832,724 total) {week 39}
74. Elling – $15,701 ($240,576 total) {week 15}
97. Son of the Bride – $5,418 ($595,540 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $14,585,511 ($134,748,375 total)
14. Road to Perdition – $1,797,791 ($142,226,663 total)
22. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $509,663 ($423,450,093 total)
24. Lilo & Stitch – $482,722 ($200,685,426 total)
25. Minority Report – $379,579 ($184,197,843 total)
67. Monsters, Inc. – $28,401 ($359,751,008 total)
74. Elling – $22,079 ($338,297 total)
97. Son of the Bride – $7,619 ($837,446 total)

Oscar Details:

• Elling: Foreign Language Film
• 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
• Son of the Bride: Foreign Language Film
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones: Visual Effects

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 5-7, 1997

Weekend Box Office:

5. Air Force One – $3,861,490 ($159,262,854 total) {week 7}
10. Men in Black – $1,803,297 ($237,311,281 total) {week 10}
999. Con Air – $536,504 ($100,256,185 total) {week 14}
999. The Full Monty – $769,954 ($2,723,815 total) {week 4}
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $212,625 ($228,157,764 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Air Force One – $6,873,284 ($283,480,941 total)
10. Men in Black – $3,209,790 ($422,403,740 total)
999. Con Air – $954,954 ($178,451,641 total)
999. The Full Monty – $1,370,485 ($4,848,272 total)
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $378,463 ($406,110,878 total)

Oscar Details:

• Air Force One: Editing, Sound
• Con Air: Original Song (“How Do I Live”), 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]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 4-5, 1992

Weekend Box Office:

2. Unforgiven – $6,352,892 ($63,641,949 total) {week 5}
5. Death Becomes Her – $3,194,135 ($50,608,435 total) {week 6}
10. Enchanted April – $1,632,218 ($5,298,437 total) {week 6}
12. Batman Returns – $1,122,743 ($159,559,854 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Unforgiven – $12,506,778 ($125,290,295 total)
5. Death Becomes Her – $6,288,213 ($99,631,546 total)
10. Enchanted April – $3,213,306 ($10,430,899 total)
12. Batman Returns – $2,210,316 ($314,121,448 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

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 4-6, 1987

Weekend Box Office:

2. Dirty Dancing – $4,889,239 ($16,465,415 total) {week 3}
12. Robocop – $1,908,532 ($47,233,470 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Dirty Dancing – $10,216,134 ($34,404,716 total)
12. Robocop – $3,987,904 ($98,695,000 total)

Oscar Details:

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

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 3-5, 1982

Weekend Box Office:

1. An Officer and a Gentleman – $7,711,202 ($44,535,138 total) {week 6}
2. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $4,668,859 ($238,646,109 total) {week 13}
6. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $2,432,540 ($60,127,591 total) {week 7}
8. The World According to Garp – $1,886,476 ($22,733,973 total) {week 7}
9. Rocky III – $1,720,338 ($111,023,220 total) {week 15}
15. Annie – $1,180,116 ($52,752,796 total) {week 14}
17. Tron – $1,161,388 ($26,061,388 total) {week 9}
19. Poltergeist – $1,083,726 ($65,697,180 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. An Officer and a Gentleman – $21,428,748 ($123,759,210 total)
2. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $12,974,346 ($663,176,432 total)
6. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $6,759,814 ($167,089,258 total)
8. The World According to Garp – $5,242,350 ($63,175,700 total)
9. Rocky III – $4,780,667 ($308,523,710 total)
15. Annie – $3,279,438 ($146,595,355 total)
17. Tron – $3,227,395 ($72,422,293 total)
19. Poltergeist – $3,011,579 ($182,566,653 total)

Oscar Details:

• Annie: Original Song Score, Art Direction
• 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 [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”)
• Tron: Costume Design, Sound
• The World According to Garp: Supporting Actor (John Lithgow), Supporting Actress (Glenn Close)