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

mother! (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Supporting Actor (Ed Harris), Supporting Actress (Michelle Pfeiffer), Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Cinematography, Production Design.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 14-16, 2012

Weekend Box Office:

6. ParaNorman – $3,092,941 ($49,389,187 total) {week 5}
19. The Master – $736,311 ($736,311 total) {week 1}
20. Marvel’s The Avengers – $593,991 ($622,217,210 total) {week 20}
25. Ted – $378,120 ($217,431,880 total) {week 12}
34. Beasts of the Southern Wild – $243,551 ($10,660,984 total) {week 12}
37. Moonrise Kingdom – $189,986 ($44,931,569 total) {week 17}
42. Searching for Sugar Man – $101,263 ($1,042,970 total) {week 8}
66. Prometheus – $21,188 ($126,464,904 total) {week 15}
102. 5 Broken Cameras – $1,280 ($68,332 total) {week 16}
109. Monsieur Lazhar – $875 ($2,002,958 total) {week 23}
120. The Invisible War – $190 ($59,392 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. ParaNorman – $3,174,539 ($50,692,168 total)
19. The Master – $755,736 ($755,736 total)
20. Marvel’s The Avengers – $609,662 ($638,632,488 total)
25. Ted – $388,096 ($223,168,148 total)
34. Beasts of the Southern Wild – $249,976 ($10,942,241 total)
37. Moonrise Kingdom – $194,998 ($46,116,950 total)
42. Searching for Sugar Man – $103,935 ($1,070,486 total)
66. Prometheus – $21,747 ($129,801,290 total)
102. 5 Broken Cameras – $1,314 ($70,135 total)
109. Monsieur Lazhar – $898 ($2,055,800 total)
120. The Invisible War – $195 ($60,959 total)

Oscar Details:

• 5 Broken Cameras: Documentary Feature
• Beasts of the Southern Wild: Picture, Directing, Actress (Quvenzhane Wallis), Adapted Screenplay
• The Invisible War: Documentary Feature
• Marvel’s The Avengers: Visual Effects
• The Master: Actor (Joaquin Phoenix), Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Supporting Actress (Amy Adams)
• Monsieur Lazhar: Foreign Language Film
• 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. 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}
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 16}
50. Sicko – $51,685 ($24,333,911 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. 3:10 to Yuma – $10,605,431 ($33,642,146 total)
7. The Bourne Ultimatum – $4,898,889 ($256,698,621 total)
21. Eastern Promises – $649,672 ($649,672 total)
24. Transformers – $562,837 ($370,529,281 total)
25. Ratatouille – $533,108 ($240,559,357 total)
32. Once – $241,957 ($10,335,312 total)
33. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $173,991 ($367,095,250 total)
35. In the Valley of Elah – $158,599 ($158,599 total)
41. No End in Sight – $116,071 ($1,484,494 total)
47. La Vie en Rose – $86,403 ($11,709,302 total)
50. Sicko – $61,376 ($28,896,519 total)

Oscar Details:

• 3:10 to Yuma: Original Score, Sound Mixing
• 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 (Marion Cotillard) [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O]

15 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}
59. Elling – $29,926 ($279,311 total) {week 16}
75. Monsters, Inc. – $18,206 ($255,856,717 total) {week 40}
113. Son of the Bride – $4,640 ($604,653 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $15,147,751 ($155,305,468 total)
16. Road to Perdition – $1,284,877 ($144,165,397 total)
25. Lilo & Stitch – $429,399 ($201,209,473 total)
27. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $378,230 ($423,968,864 total)
28. Minority Report – $310,324 ($184,662,484 total)
59. Elling – $42,082 ($392,766 total)
75. Monsters, Inc. – $25,601 ($359,784,747 total)
113. Son of the Bride – $6,525 ($850,261 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. 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 – $5,187,105 ($10,702,778 total)
6. Air Force One – $5,001,713 ($290,532,097 total)
12. Hercules – $2,810,183 ($165,463,146 total)
13. Men in Black – $2,809,328 ($426,041,328 total)
999. Con Air – $459,462 ($179,225,856 total)
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $388,680 ($406,662,434 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]

25 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 – $5,020,772 ($132,574,326 total)
8. Death Becomes Her – $3,103,055 ($103,692,587 total)
11. Enchanted April – $1,693,991 ($12,747,202 total)
14. Batman Returns – $1,035,456 ($315,534,212 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. 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 – $7,401,521 ($43,773,799 total)
11. Robocop – $2,248,127 ($101,556,176 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. 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 – $12,779,458 ($680,048,524 total)
2. An Officer and a Gentleman – $12,610,117 ($140,582,396 total)
4. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $4,219,911 ($174,781,193 total)
6. Rocky III – $3,560,631 ($312,446,927 total)
7. The World According to Garp – $3,243,982 ($67,532,686 total)
9. Poltergeist – $2,960,994 ($185,959,985 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 [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)