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 Magnificent Seven (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Original Score, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing.

Storks (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

The Dressmaker (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Kate Winslet).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 30-Oct. 2, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

2. Moneyball – $12,031,592 ($38,000,130 total) {week 2}
11. Drive – $3,289,714 ($27,003,029 total) {week 3}
12. The Help – $3,015,995 ($159,373,023 total) {week 8}
15. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $541,075 ($174,482,629 total) {week 9}
17. Warrior – $460,263 ($13,082,667 total) {week 4}
26. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $273,263 ($379,245,610 total) {week 12}
28. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $200,720 ($352,222,098 total) {week 14}
31. Midnight in Paris – $180,622 ($54,697,329 total) {week 20}
67. The Tree of Life – $17,740 ($13,246,069 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Moneyball – $12,395,726 ($39,150,197 total)
11. Drive – $3,389,277 ($27,820,271 total)
12. The Help – $3,107,274 ($164,196,418 total)
15. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $557,451 ($179,763,314 total)
17. Warrior – $474,193 ($13,478,612 total)
26. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $281,533 ($390,723,409 total)
28. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $206,795 ($362,882,035 total)
31. Midnight in Paris – $186,088 ($56,352,734 total)
67. The Tree of Life – $18,277 ($13,646,959 total)

Oscar Details:

• Drive: Sound Editing
• 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])
• Midnight in Paris: Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay [O], Art Direction
• Moneyball: Picture, Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Mixing
• 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. 29-Oct. 1, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

7. The Illusionist – $2,738,411 ($31,381,309 total) {week 7}
9. The Black Dahlia – $2,129,070 ($20,742,610 total) {week 3}
10. Little Miss Sunshine – $1,991,723 ($53,133,641 total) {week 10}
20. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $464,719 ($420,331,126 total) {week 13}
22. Superman Returns – $403,377 ($198,935,940 total) {week 14}
28. Half Nelson – $232,823 ($2,175,988 total) {week 8}
30. Monster House – $229,411 ($72,595,621 total) {week 11}
32. The Devil Wears Prada – $201,463 ($123,887,149 total) {week 14}
34. Cars – $200,202 ($243,735,463 total) {week 17}
37. The Last King of Scotland – $142,899 ($172,036 total) {week 1}
38. The Queen – $122,014 ($122,014 total) {week 1}
40. Jesus Camp – $97,674 ($180,573 total) {week 3}
58. An Inconvenient Truth – $31,776 ($23,672,685 total) {week 19}
94. Water – $5,536 ($3,259,649 total) {week 23}
116. My Country, My Country – $1,736 ($26,822 total) {week 9}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. The Illusionist – $3,415,697 ($39,142,793 total)
9. The Black Dahlia – $2,655,649 ($25,872,843 total)
10. Little Miss Sunshine – $2,484,332 ($66,275,091 total)
20. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $579,657 ($524,290,885 total)
22. Superman Returns – $503,144 ($248,138,417 total)
28. Half Nelson – $290,407 ($2,714,171 total)
30. Monster House – $286,151 ($90,550,568 total)
32. The Devil Wears Prada – $251,290 ($154,527,940 total)
34. Cars – $249,718 ($304,018,127 total)
37. The Last King of Scotland – $178,242 ($214,585 total)
38. The Queen – $152,192 ($152,192 total)
40. Jesus Camp – $121,832 ($225,234 total)
58. An Inconvenient Truth – $39,635 ($29,527,609 total)
94. Water – $6,905 ($4,065,852 total)
116. My Country, My Country – $2,165 ($33,456 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Black Dahlia: Cinematography
• Cars: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Our Town”)
• 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]
• Jesus Camp: Documentary Feature
• The Last King of Scotland: Actor (Forest Whitaker [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]
• The Queen: Picture, Director, Actress (Helen Mirren [O]), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Costume Design
• Superman Returns: Visual Effects
• Water: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 28-30, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

19. Shrek – $461,902 ($265,448,253 total) {week 20}
27. Ghost World – $253,020 ($5,091,609 total) {week 11}
46. Pearl Harbor – $76,018 ($197,507,447 total) {week 19}
58. Moulin Rouge! – $44,003 ($56,578,627 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

19. Shrek – $666,738 ($383,164,704 total)
27. Ghost World – $365,225 ($7,349,549 total)
46. Pearl Harbor – $109,729 ($285,094,672 total)
58. Moulin Rouge! – $63,517 ($81,669,149 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ghost World: Adapted Screenplay
• 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
• Shrek: Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 27-29, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

1. First Wives Club – $15,314,530 ($41,784,740 total) {week 2}
5. Fly Away Home – $3,004,901 ($13,327,850 total) {week 3}
6. Independence Day – $2,550,338 ($293,617,050 total) {week 13}
999. The Line King – $5,677 ($5,677 total) {week 1}
999. The Rock – $262,461 ($133,126,119 total) {week 17}
999. Secrets & Lies – $60,813 ($60,813 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. First Wives Club – $28,307,627 ($77,235,594 total)
5. Fly Away Home – $5,554,308 ($24,635,415 total)
6. Independence Day – $4,714,086 ($542,726,538 total)
999. The Line King – $10,493 ($10,493 total)
999. The Rock – $485,137 ($246,072,487 total)
999. Secrets & Lies – $112,408 ($112,408 total)

Oscar Details:

• First Wives Club: Original Comedy or Musical Score
• Fly Away Home: Cinematography
• Independence Day: Sound, Visual Effects [O]
• The Line King: Documentary Feature
• The Rock: Sound
• Secrets & Lies: Picture, Director, Actress (Brenda Blethyn), Supporting Actress (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), Original Screenplay

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 27-29, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Fisher King – $7,067,908 ($7,570,360 total) {week 2}
7. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $1,252,960 ($195,572,034 total) {week 13}
9. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $1,116,435 ($159,282,457 total) {week 16}
10. Rambling Rose – $1,105,468 ($1,550,973 total) {week 2}
12. The Commitments – $1,075,816 ($10,713,842 total) {week 7}
999. Barton Fink – $376,920 ($3,426,154 total) {week 6}
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $55,467 ($130,643,286 total) {week 33}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Fisher King – $13,716,106 ($14,691,174 total)
7. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $2,431,516 ($379,530,527 total)
9. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $2,166,573 ($309,106,336 total)
10. Rambling Rose – $2,145,291 ($3,009,845 total)
12. The Commitments – $2,087,747 ($20,791,470 total)
999. Barton Fink – $731,458 ($6,648,855 total)
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $107,640 ($253,528,657 total)

Oscar Details:

• Barton Fink: Supporting Actor (Michael Lerner), Art Direction, Costume Design
• The Commitments: Film Editing
• The Fisher King: Actor (Robin Williams), Supporting Actress (Mercedes Ruehl) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction
• Rambling Rose: Actress (Laura Dern), Supporting Actress (Diane Ladd)
• 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. 26-28, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

1. Crocodile Dundee – $8,038,855 ($8,038,855 total) {week 1}
2. Stand By Me – $2,740,017 ($27,917,486 total) {week 8}
3. Top Gun – $2,568,684 ($147,499,998 total) {week 20}
5. The Karate Kid Part II – $1,437,046 ($108,087,358 total) {week 15}
7. The Fly – $1,089,025 ($32,637,940 total) {week 7}
9. Aliens – $1,042,070 ($75,201,373 total) {week 11}
12. Blue Velvet – $645,016 ($1,770,509 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Crocodile Dundee – $17,702,815 ($17,702,815 total)
2. Stand By Me – $6,033,946 ($61,478,669 total)
3. Top Gun – $5,656,644 ($324,818,055 total)
5. The Karate Kid Part II – $3,164,600 ($238,025,260 total)
7. The Fly – $2,398,203 ($71,873,846 total)
9. Aliens – $2,294,801 ($165,605,180 total)
12. Blue Velvet – $1,420,426 ($3,898,938 total)

Oscar Details:

• Aliens: Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Original Score, Film Editing, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Blue Velvet: Director
• Crocodile Dundee: Original Screenplay
• 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

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 25-27, 1981

Weekend Box Office:

999. Chariots of Fire – $68,907 ($68,907 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

999. Chariots of Fire – $202,507 ($202,507 total)

Oscar Details:

• Chariots of Fire: Picture [O], Director, Supporting Actor (Ian Holm), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Editing, Costume Design [O]