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 Sep. 11-13, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

3. Inglourious Basterds – $6,140,617 ($103,903,469 total) {week 4}
8. District 9 – $3,538,769 ($108,456,233 total) {week 5}
10. Julie & Julia – $3,156,316 ($85,216,398 total) {week 6}
22. Up – $423,746 ($291,390,456 total) {week 16}
26. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $370,040 ($401,127,275 total) {week 12}
30. Star Trek – $190,314 ($257,424,306 total) {week 19}
32. The Hurt Locker – $141,017 ($12,263,550 total) {week 12}
37. In the Loop – $102,688 ($2,156,804 total) {week 8}
42. The Baader Meinhof Complex – $69,039 ($214,729 total) {week 4}
52. Food, Inc. – $33,292 ($4,238,694 total) {week 14}
59. The Cove – $24,005 ($726,699 total) {week 7}
67. Departures – $13,595 ($1,343,723 total) {week 16}
86. Il Divo – $4,174 ($231,615 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Inglourious Basterds – $6,656,429 ($112,631,360 total)
8. District 9 – $3,836,026 ($117,566,557 total)
10. Julie & Julia – $3,421,447 ($92,374,575 total)
22. Up – $459,341 ($315,867,254 total)
26. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $401,123 ($434,821,966 total)
30. Star Trek – $206,300 ($279,047,948 total)
32. The Hurt Locker – $152,862 ($13,293,688 total)
37. In the Loop – $111,314 ($2,337,976 total)
42. The Baader Meinhof Complex – $74,838 ($232,766 total)
52. Food, Inc. – $36,089 ($4,594,744 total)
59. The Cove – $26,021 ($787,742 total)
67. Departures – $14,737 ($1,456,596 total)
86. Il Divo – $4,525 ($251,071 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Baader Meinhof Complex: Foreign Language Film
• The Cove: Documentary Feature
• Departures: Foreign Language Film [O]
• District 9: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Visual Effects
• Il Divo: Makeup
• Food, Inc.: Documentary Feature
• The Hurt Locker: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Jeremy Renner), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O]
• In the Loop: Adapted Screenplay
• Inglourious Basterds: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Christoph Waltz) [O], Original Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Julie & Julia: Actress (Meryl Streep)
• Star Trek: Makeup [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Sound Mixing
• Up: Picture, Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Sound Editing

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 10-12, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

4. Hero – $4,420,702 ($41,652,507 total) {week 1}
8. Collateral – $2,718,073 ($92,691,776 total) {week 6}
20. Spider-Man 2 – $573,618 ($370,651,825 total) {week 11}
23. The Village – $355,933 ($112,703,100 total) {week 7}
24. I, Robot – $345,281 ($142,364,418 total) {week 9}
26. Maria Full of Grace – $290,124 ($4,932,193 total) {week 9}
30. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $203,877 ($248,619,248 total) {week 15}
36. Before Sunset – $133,484 ($5,377,753 total) {week 11}
62. Super Size Me – $33,177 ($11,450,330 total) {week 19}
65. Story of the Weeping Camel – $30,283 ($1,653,200 total) {week 15}
102. The Twilight Samurai – $3,283 ($516,685 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Hero – $11,196,357 ($105,493,733 total)
8. Collateral – $6,884,091 ($234,761,414 total)
20. Spider-Man 2 – $1,452,808 ($938,753,688 total)
23. The Village – $901,475 ($285,444,300 total)
24. I, Robot – $874,497 ($360,567,825 total)
26. Maria Full of Grace – $734,800 ($12,491,816 total)
30. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $516,361 ($629,680,525 total)
36. Before Sunset – $338,076 ($13,620,290 total)
62. Super Size Me – $84,028 ($29,000,369 total)
65. Story of the Weeping Camel – $76,698 ($4,187,077 total)
102. The Twilight Samurai – $8,315 ($1,308,613 total)

Oscar Details:

• Before Sunset: Adapted Screenplay
• Collateral: Supporting Actor (Jamie Foxx), Editing
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Original Score, Visual Effects
• Hero: Foreign Language Film
• I, Robot: Visual Effects
• Maria Full of Grace: Actress (Catalina Sandino Moreno)
• Spider-Man 2: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Story of the Weeping Camel : Documentary Feature
• Super Size Me : Documentary Feature
• The Twilight Samurai: Foreign Language Film
• The Village : Original Score

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 10-12, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Sixth Sense – $16,511,464 ($197,665,281 total) {week 6}
19. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $653,324 ($422,252,998 total) {week 17}
21. Tarzan – $542,026 ($168,548,792 total) {week 13}
38. Buena Vista Social Club – $170,014 ($4,692,689 total) {week 15}
40. The Red Violin – $163,411 ($8,609,924 total) {week 35}
42. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $134,544 ($205,399,422 total) {week 14}
44. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut – $124,479 ($51,820,421 total) {week 11}
49. The Mummy – $74,670 ($155,247,825 total) {week 19}
53. The Matrix – $62,463 ($171,321,460 total) {week 24}
999. Speaking in Strings – $1,519 ($1,519 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Sixth Sense – $26,424,843 ($316,342,271 total)
19. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $1,045,576 ($675,771,038 total)
21. Tarzan – $867,455 ($269,744,425 total)
38. Buena Vista Social Club – $272,089 ($7,510,150 total)
40. The Red Violin – $261,522 ($13,779,268 total)
42. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – $215,323 ($328,719,941 total)
44. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut – $199,215 ($82,933,075 total)
49. The Mummy – $119,501 ($248,457,641 total)
53. The Matrix – $99,965 ($274,181,785 total)
999. Speaking in Strings – $2,431 ($2,431 total)

Oscar Details:

• Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Makeup
• Buena Vista Social Club: Documentary Feature
• The Matrix : Editing [O], Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Mummy : Sound
• The Red Violin : Original Score [O]
• The Sixth Sense : Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment), Supporting Actress (Toni Collette), Original Screenplay, Editing
• South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut: Original Song (“Blame Canada”)
• Speaking in Strings: Documentary Feature
• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• Tarzan: Original Song (“You’ll Be In My Heart”)

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 16-18, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

2. Forrest Gump – $6,066,317 ($256,260,919 total) {week 11}
3. Clear and Present Danger – $3,240,950 ($109,151,175 total) {week 7}
5. The Mask – $1,955,502 ($106,538,845 total) {week 8}
8. The Lion King – $1,623,687 ($266,901,023 total) {week 14}
10. True Lies – $1,555,809 ($137,398,094 total) {week 10}
12. The Client – $1,201,825 ($86,373,733 total) {week 9}
999. Blue Sky – $763,890 ($763,890 total) {week 1}
999. Jurassic Park – $350,375 ($355,123,870 total) {week 67}
999. Quiz Show – $757,714 ($757,714 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Forrest Gump – $11,798,841 ($498,421,357 total)
3. Clear and Present Danger – $6,303,570 ($212,296,424 total)
5. The Mask – $3,803,405 ($207,215,505 total)
8. The Lion King – $3,158,032 ($519,116,105 total)
10. True Lies – $3,026,011 ($267,236,006 total)
12. The Client – $2,337,521 ($167,994,844 total)
999. Blue Sky – $1,485,748 ($1,485,748 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $681,471 ($690,707,431 total)
999. Quiz Show – $1,473,736 ($1,473,736 total)

Oscar Details:

• Blue Sky: Actress (Jessica Lange) [O]
• Clear and Present Danger: Sound, Sound Effects
• The Client: Actress (Susan Sarandon)
• Forrest Gump: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Tom Hanks) [O], Supporting Actor (Gary Sinise), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Lion King : Original Song (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” [O], “Circle of Life”, “Hakuna Matata”), Original Score [O]
• The Mask : Visual Effects
• Quiz Show: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Paul Scofield), Adapted Screenplay
• True Lies: Visual Effects

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 15-17, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

3. Parenthood – $3,730,560 ($74,532,158 total) {week 7}
4. When Harry Met Sally… – $2,655,860 ($75,290,510 total) {week 10}
6. Lethal Weapon 2 – $2,206,481 ($137,872,405 total) {week 11}
7. The Abyss – $2,150,879 ($47,594,385 total) {week 6}
8. sex, lies and videotape – $1,751,442 ($13,260,801 total) {week 7}
10. Batman – $1,472,406 ($243,139,754 total) {week 13}
11. Dead Poets Society – $1,116,274 ($89,089,973 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Parenthood – $7,639,661 ($152,631,346 total)
4. When Harry Met Sally… – $5,438,827 ($154,184,344 total)
6. Lethal Weapon 2 – $4,518,562 ($282,343,237 total)
7. The Abyss – $4,404,697 ($97,466,587 total)
8. sex, lies and videotape – $3,586,706 ($27,156,250 total)
10. Batman – $3,015,280 ($497,915,919 total)
11. Dead Poets Society – $2,285,972 ($182,443,698 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Abyss : Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Visual Effects [O]
• Batman: Art Direction [O]
• Dead Poets Society: Picture, Director, Actor (Robin Williams), Original Screenplay [O]
• Lethal Weapon 2: Sound Effects
• Parenthood: Supporting Actress (Dianne Wiest), Original Song (“I Love To See You Smile”)
• sex, lies and videotape: Original Screenplay
• When Harry Met Sally…: Original Screenplay

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 14-16, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

1. Ghostbusters – $3,457,626 ($197,279,137 total) {week 15}
3. Purple Rain – $2,474,970 ($52,511,403 total) {week 8}
4. The Karate Kid – $2,210,145 ($75,512,142 total) {week 13}
5. The Woman in Red – $2,132,776 ($19,597,511 total) {week 5}
11. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $1,065,032 ($170,306,545 total) {week 17}
999. A Soldier’s Story – $156,383 ($156,383 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Ghostbusters – $8,366,220 ($477,345,055 total)
3. Purple Rain – $5,988,543 ($127,058,841 total)
4. The Karate Kid – $5,347,762 ($182,712,415 total)
5. The Woman in Red – $5,160,556 ($47,418,978 total)
11. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – $2,576,997 ($412,081,015 total)
999. A Soldier’s Story – $378,391 ($378,391 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ghostbusters: Original Song (“Ghostbusters”), Visual Effects
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Original Score, Visual Effects [O]
• The Karate Kid : Supporting Actor (Noriyuki ‘Pat’ Morita)
• Purple Rain: Original Song Score [O]
• A Soldier’s Story: Picture, Supporting Actor (Adolph Caesar), Adapted Screenplay
• The Woman in Red : Original Song (“I Just Called to Say I Love You”) [O]