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

The Master (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actor (Joaquin Phoenix), Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound, Sound Mixing.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 14-16, 2007

Weekend Box Office:

2. 3:10 to Yuma – $8,930,889 ($28,330,228 total) {week 2}
7. The Bourne Ultimatum – $4,125,380 ($216,167,260 total) {week 7}
17. Across the Universe – $667,784 ($667,784 total) {week 1}
21. Eastern Promises – $547,092 ($547,092 total) {week 1}
24. Transformers – $473,968 ($312,024,658 total) {week 11}
25. Ratatouille – $448,933 ($202,576,301 total) {week 12}
32. Once – $203,753 ($8,703,421 total) {week 18}
33. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $146,519 ($309,132,842 total) {week 17}
35. In the Valley of Elah – $133,557 ($133,557 total) {week 1}
41. No End in Sight – $97,744 ($1,250,100 total) {week 8}
47. La Vie en Rose – $72,760 ($9,860,465 total) {week 15}
50. Sicko – $51,685 ($24,333,911 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. 3:10 to Yuma – $8,930,889 ($28,330,228 total)
7. The Bourne Ultimatum – $4,125,380 ($216,167,260 total)
17. Across the Universe – $667,784 ($667,784 total)
21. Eastern Promises – $547,092 ($547,092 total)
24. Transformers – $473,968 ($312,024,658 total)
25. Ratatouille – $448,933 ($202,576,301 total)
32. Once – $203,753 ($8,703,421 total)
33. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $146,519 ($309,132,842 total)
35. In the Valley of Elah – $133,557 ($133,557 total)
41. No End in Sight – $97,744 ($1,250,100 total)
47. La Vie en Rose – $72,760 ($9,860,465 total)
50. Sicko – $51,685 ($24,333,911 total)

Oscar Details:

• 3:10 to Yuma: Original Score, Sound Mixing
• Across the Universe: Costume Design
• The Bourne Ultimatum: Film Editing [O], Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O]
• Eastern Promises: Actor (Viggo Mortensen)
• In the Valley of Elah: Actor (Tommy Lee Jones)
• 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 [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O]

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 13-15, 2002

Weekend Box Office:

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $10,772,146 ($110,443,668 total) {week 22}
16. Road to Perdition – $913,725 ($102,521,537 total) {week 10}
25. Lilo & Stitch – $305,362 ($143,087,765 total) {week 13}
27. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $268,974 ($301,500,502 total) {week 18}
28. Minority Report – $220,683 ($131,320,567 total) {week 13}
75. Monsters, Inc. – $18,206 ($255,856,717 total) {week 46}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $10,772,146 ($110,443,668 total)
16. Road to Perdition – $913,725 ($102,521,537 total)
25. Lilo & Stitch – $305,362 ($143,087,765 total)
27. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $268,974 ($301,500,502 total)
28. Minority Report – $220,683 ($131,320,567 total)
75. Monsters, Inc. – $18,206 ($255,856,717 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones: Visual Effects

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 12-14, 1997

Weekend Box Office:

5. The Full Monty – $2,914,175 ($6,012,944 total) {week 5}
6. Air Force One – $2,810,020 ($163,224,275 total) {week 8}
12. Hercules – $1,578,793 ($92,959,099 total) {week 10}
13. Men in Black – $1,578,313 ($239,354,920 total) {week 11}
999. Con Air – $258,131 ($100,691,148 total) {week 15}
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $218,365 ($228,467,634 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. The Full Monty – $2,914,175 ($6,012,944 total)
6. Air Force One – $2,810,020 ($163,224,275 total)
12. Hercules – $1,578,793 ($92,959,099 total)
13. Men in Black – $1,578,313 ($239,354,920 total)
999. Con Air – $258,131 ($100,691,148 total)
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $218,365 ($228,467,634 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]
• Hercules: Original Song (“Go the Distance”)
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park: Visual Effects
• Men in Black: Original Musical or Comedy Score, Art Direction, Makeup [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 11-13, 1992

Weekend Box Office:

4. Unforgiven – $2,550,331 ($67,341,916 total) {week 6}
8. Death Becomes Her – $1,576,215 ($52,671,265 total) {week 7}
11. Enchanted April – $860,473 ($6,475,017 total) {week 7}
14. Batman Returns – $525,966 ($160,277,476 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Unforgiven – $2,550,331 ($67,341,916 total)
8. Death Becomes Her – $1,576,215 ($52,671,265 total)
11. Enchanted April – $860,473 ($6,475,017 total)
14. Batman Returns – $525,966 ($160,277,476 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 Sep. 11-13, 1987

Weekend Box Office:

2. Dirty Dancing – $3,542,221 ($20,949,272 total) {week 4}
11. Robocop – $1,075,909 ($48,602,772 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Dirty Dancing – $3,542,221 ($20,949,272 total)
11. Robocop – $1,075,909 ($48,602,772 total)

Oscar Details:

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

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 10-12, 1982

Weekend Box Office:

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $4,598,728 ($244,717,584 total) {week 14}
2. An Officer and a Gentleman – $4,537,790 ($50,589,014 total) {week 7}
4. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $1,518,548 ($62,895,558 total) {week 8}
6. Rocky III – $1,281,304 ($112,435,002 total) {week 16}
7. The World According to Garp – $1,167,357 ($24,301,848 total) {week 8}
9. Poltergeist – $1,065,523 ($66,918,281 total) {week 15}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $4,598,728 ($244,717,584 total)
2. An Officer and a Gentleman – $4,537,790 ($50,589,014 total)
4. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $1,518,548 ($62,895,558 total)
6. Rocky III – $1,281,304 ($112,435,002 total)
7. The World According to Garp – $1,167,357 ($24,301,848 total)
9. Poltergeist – $1,065,523 ($66,918,281 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)