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

A Star Is Born (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Directing, Actor (Bradley Cooper), Actress (Lady Gaga), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song, Film Editing.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 4-6, 2013

Weekend Box Office:

1. Gravity – $55,785,112 ($55,785,112 total) {week 1}
4. Prisoners – $5,748,464 ($47,928,432 total) {week 3}
19. Despicable Me 2 – $485,010 ($362,435,610 total) {week 14}
24. Blue Jasmine – $348,197 ($31,284,982 total) {week 11}
55. The Grandmaster – $30,334 ($6,566,840 total) {week 7}
56. The Lone Ranger – $30,163 ($89,289,910 total) {week 14}
107. Before Midnight – $1,356 ($8,108,527 total) {week 20}
112. The Act of Killing – $443 ($441,205 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Gravity – $61,274,422 ($61,548,887 total)
4. Prisoners – $6,314,119 ($52,880,447 total)
19. Despicable Me 2 – $532,735 ($399,882,832 total)
24. Blue Jasmine – $382,460 ($34,517,379 total)
55. The Grandmaster – $33,319 ($7,245,333 total)
56. The Lone Ranger – $33,131 ($98,515,436 total)
107. Before Midnight – $1,489 ($8,946,308 total)
112. The Act of Killing – $487 ($486,791 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Act of Killing: Documentary Feature
• Before Midnight: Adapted Screenplay
• Blue Jasmine: Actress (Cate Blanchett) [O], Supporting Actress (Sally Hawkins), Original Screenplay
• Despicable Me 2: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Happy”)
• The Grandmaster: Cinematography, Costume Design
• Gravity: Picture, Directing [O], Actress (Sandra Bullock), Original Score [O], Film Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Production Design, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Lone Ranger: Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects
• Prisoners: Cinematography

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 3-5, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

20. The Duchess – $893,990 ($1,950,786 total) {week 3}
21. The Dark Knight – $828,213 ($525,831,387 total) {week 12}
24. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $406,256 ($21,060,253 total) {week 8}
26. Tropic Thunder – $326,593 ($109,472,162 total) {week 8}
27. Rachel Getting Married – $293,369 ($293,369 total) {week 1}
29. WALL-E – $210,231 ($221,127,808 total) {week 15}
34. Kung Fu Panda – $143,801 ($215,395,021 total) {week 18}
44. Man on Wire – $69,888 ($2,509,822 total) {week 11}
48. Frozen River – $59,336 ($1,996,900 total) {week 10}
62. Trouble the Water – $23,917 ($324,553 total) {week 7}
91. The Visitor – $3,816 ($9,422,422 total) {week 26}
96. Encounters at the End of the World – $3,217 ($921,813 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

20. The Duchess – $1,111,884 ($2,437,124 total)
21. The Dark Knight – $1,030,076 ($656,923,056 total)
24. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $505,274 ($26,310,650 total)
26. Tropic Thunder – $406,194 ($136,763,968 total)
27. Rachel Getting Married – $364,873 ($366,507 total)
29. WALL-E – $261,471 ($276,255,771 total)
34. Kung Fu Panda – $178,850 ($269,093,780 total)
44. Man on Wire – $86,922 ($3,135,530 total)
48. Frozen River – $73,798 ($2,494,734 total)
62. Trouble the Water – $29,746 ($405,465 total)
91. The Visitor – $4,746 ($11,771,466 total)
96. Encounters at the End of the World – $4,001 ($1,151,624 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Dark Knight: Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger) [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• The Duchess: Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
• Encounters at the End of the World: Documentary Feature
• Frozen River: Actress (Melissa Leo), Original Screenplay
• Kung Fu Panda: Animated Feature
• Man on Wire: Documentary Feature [O]
• Rachel Getting Married: Actress (Anne Hathaway)
• Tropic Thunder: Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.)
• Trouble the Water: Documentary Feature
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz) [O]
• The Visitor: Actor (Richard Jenkins)
• WALL-E: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Down to Earth”), Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 3-5, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

7. Lost in Translation – $4,163,333 ($14,027,415 total) {week 4}
13. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $1,629,244 ($297,930,745 total) {week 13}
18. Finding Nemo – $659,505 ($336,477,830 total) {week 19}
19. Seabiscuit – $583,065 ($118,251,555 total) {week 11}
26. Thirteen – $229,314 ($4,064,274 total) {week 7}
27. American Splendor – $200,361 ($5,404,960 total) {week 8}
31. Dirty Pretty Things – $159,556 ($7,545,060 total) {week 12}
32. Whale Rider – $158,411 ($20,308,150 total) {week 18}
47. Winged Migration – $85,724 ($10,336,320 total) {week 25}
76. Spellbound – $16,257 ($5,656,596 total) {week 23}
79. The Weather Underground – $15,827 ($420,235 total) {week 18}
93. Capturing the Friedmans – $7,655 ($3,110,867 total) {week 19}
100. City of God – $5,366 ($4,659,390 total) {week 38}
112. Nowhere in Africa – $2,899 ($6,173,485 total) {week 31}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Lost in Translation – $6,165,599 ($20,866,652 total)
13. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $2,412,794 ($443,190,511 total)
18. Finding Nemo – $976,680 ($500,531,697 total)
19. Seabiscuit – $863,478 ($175,906,542 total)
26. Thirteen – $339,598 ($6,045,860 total)
27. American Splendor – $296,720 ($8,040,214 total)
31. Dirty Pretty Things – $236,291 ($11,223,746 total)
32. Whale Rider – $234,595 ($30,209,636 total)
47. Winged Migration – $126,951 ($15,375,919 total)
76. Spellbound – $24,075 ($8,414,538 total)
79. The Weather Underground – $23,439 ($625,126 total)
93. Capturing the Friedmans – $11,337 ($4,627,608 total)
100. City of God – $7,947 ($6,931,132 total)
112. Nowhere in Africa – $4,293 ($9,183,443 total)

Oscar Details:

• American Splendor: Adapted Screenplay
• Capturing the Friedmans: Documentary Feature
• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• Dirty Pretty Things: Original Screenplay
• Finding Nemo: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Editing
• Lost in Translation: Picture, Director, Actor (Bill Murray), Original Screenplay [O]
• Nowhere in Africa: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: Actor (Johnny Depp), Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• Seabiscuit: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• Spellbound: Documentary Feature
• Thirteen: Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter)
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature
• Whale Rider: Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
• Winged Migration: Documentary Feature

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 2-4, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

2. What Dreams May Come – $15,833,592 ($15,833,592 total) {week 1}
8. One True Thing – $2,666,675 ($17,313,885 total) {week 3}
9. Saving Private Ryan – $1,674,034 ($184,341,779 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. What Dreams May Come – $30,147,969 ($30,283,011 total)
8. One True Thing – $5,077,486 ($33,114,189 total)
9. Saving Private Ryan – $3,187,446 ($352,568,392 total)

Oscar Details:

• One True Thing: Actress (Meryl Streep)
• Saving Private Ryan: Picture, Director [O], Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Makeup, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
• What Dreams May Come: Art Direction, Visual Effects [O]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 1-3, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

5. The Age of Innocence – $4,159,209 ($13,750,984 total) {week 3}
8. The Fugitive – $3,449,017 ($166,325,128 total) {week 9}
11. Jurassic Park – $1,063,860 ($325,734,675 total) {week 17}
999. In the Line of Fire – $104,665 ($102,170,490 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. The Age of Innocence – $8,971,434 ($29,793,799 total)
8. The Fugitive – $7,439,546 ($360,371,111 total)
11. Jurassic Park – $2,294,751 ($705,758,463 total)
999. In the Line of Fire – $225,763 ($221,369,395 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Age of Innocence: Supporting Actress (Winona Ryder), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
• The Fugitive: Picture, Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones) [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects
• In the Line of Fire: Supporting Actor (John Malkovich), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 30-Oct. 2, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

1. Gorillas in the Mist – $3,451,230 ($3,989,311 total) {week 2}
3. A Fish Called Wanda – $2,051,278 ($51,053,364 total) {week 12}
5. Die Hard – $2,015,246 ($70,751,623 total) {week 12}
9. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $1,543,344 ($140,151,770 total) {week 15}
12. Big – $1,135,509 ($104,204,609 total) {week 18}
999. Bird – $27,116 ($27,116 total) {week 1}
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $377,593 ($6,639,490 total) {week 8}
999. Running on Empty – $454,164 ($1,328,107 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Gorillas in the Mist – $7,498,658 ($8,706,598 total)
3. A Fish Called Wanda – $4,456,913 ($111,423,035 total)
5. Die Hard – $4,378,625 ($154,414,126 total)
9. Who Framed Roger Rabbit – $3,353,300 ($305,878,681 total)
12. Big – $2,467,176 ($227,424,658 total)
999. Bird – $58,916 ($59,180 total)
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $820,415 ($14,490,566 total)
999. Running on Empty – $986,785 ($2,898,569 total)

Oscar Details:

• Big: Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay
• Bird: Sound [O]
• Die Hard: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• A Fish Called Wanda: Director, Supporting Actor (Kevin Kline) [O], Original Screenplay
• Gorillas in the Mist: Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Sound
• The Last Temptation of Christ: Director
• Running on Empty: Supporting Actor (River Phoenix), Original Screenplay
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O], Special Achievement Award (Animation Direction, Richard Williams)

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 7-9, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Big Chill – $4,147,808 ($9,246,429 total) {week 2}
10. Flashdance – $854,804 ($89,539,024 total) {week 26}
11. Trading Places – $837,069 ($87,914,026 total) {week 18}
12. Return of the Jedi – $804,710 ($240,195,174 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Big Chill – $11,758,706 ($26,330,307 total)
10. Flashdance – $2,423,301 ($254,973,030 total)
11. Trading Places – $2,373,024 ($250,345,655 total)
12. Return of the Jedi – $2,281,289 ($683,984,353 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Big Chill: Picture, Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Screenplay
• Flashdance: Original Song (“Flashdance…What a Feeling”) [O], Original Song (“Maniac”), Editing, Cinematography
• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• Trading Places: Original Song Score