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 Book of Life (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature, Original Song.

Fury (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actor (Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Pena), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

Birdman (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actor (Michael Keaton), Supporting Actor (Edward Norton), Supporting Actress (Emma Stone, Naomi Watts), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Sound Mixing.

Camp X-Ray (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Kristen Stewart).

Dear White People (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Original Screenplay.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of October 16-18, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

15. A Serious Man – $842,511 ($1,843,307 total) {week 3}
20. Bright Star – $396,479 ($3,534,192 total) {week 5}
21. Coco Before Chanel – $391,618 ($2,379,316 total) {week 4}
23. Inglourious Basterds – $341,410 ($119,073,469 total) {week 9}
27. Julie & Julia – $246,959 ($93,081,747 total) {week 11}
28. District 9 – $245,983 ($115,238,926 total) {week 10}
29. An Education – $244,763 ($483,693 total) {week 2}
40. Up – $105,278 ($292,810,074 total) {week 21}
75. Departures – $9,484 ($1,440,135 total) {week 21}
76. The Baader Meinhof Complex – $9,344 ($436,180 total) {week 9}
80. In the Loop – $7,282 ($2,384,044 total) {week 13}
85. Food, Inc. – $6,222 ($4,399,130 total) {week 19}
92. The Cove – $4,863 ($825,552 total) {week 12}
116. Il Divo – $772 ($235,636 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

15. A Serious Man – $913,282 ($1,998,145 total)
20. Bright Star – $429,783 ($3,831,064 total)
21. Coco Before Chanel – $424,514 ($2,579,179 total)
23. Inglourious Basterds – $370,088 ($129,075,640 total)
27. Julie & Julia – $267,704 ($100,900,614 total)
28. District 9 – $266,646 ($124,918,996 total)
29. An Education – $265,323 ($524,323 total)
40. Up – $114,121 ($317,406,120 total)
75. Departures – $10,281 ($1,561,106 total)
76. The Baader Meinhof Complex – $10,129 ($472,819 total)
80. In the Loop – $7,894 ($2,584,304 total)
85. Food, Inc. – $6,745 ($4,768,657 total)
92. The Cove – $5,271 ($894,898 total)
116. Il Divo – $837 ($255,429 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Baader Meinhof Complex: Foreign Language Film
• Bright Star: Costume Design
• Coco Before Chanel: Costume Design
• The Cove: Documentary Feature
• Departures: Foreign Language Film [O]
• District 9: Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Visual Effects
• Il Divo: Makeup
• An Education: Picture, Actress (Carey Mulligan), Adapted Screenplay
• Food, Inc.: Documentary Feature
• 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)
• A Serious Man: Picture, Original Screenplay
• Up: Picture, Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Sound Editing

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of October 15-17, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

1. Shark Tale – $22,005,952 ($118,724,863 total) {week 3}
9. The Motorcycle Diaries – $1,756,157 ($5,748,162 total) {week 4}
20. Hero – $352,984 ($52,807,621 total) {week 1}
24. Spider-Man 2 – $263,756 ($372,585,847 total) {week 16}
29. The Village – $150,603 ($113,755,078 total) {week 12}
30. I, Robot – $148,333 ($144,044,139 total) {week 14}
31. Being Julia – $122,214 ($122,214 total) {week 1}
32. Maria Full of Grace – $110,706 ($6,265,149 total) {week 14}
49. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $52,709 ($249,266,986 total) {week 20}
52. Vera Drake – $40,870 ($75,660 total) {week 2}
61. Zelary – $28,217 ($151,017 total) {week 5}
80. Before Sunset – $14,723 ($5,766,499 total) {week 16}
125. The Twilight Samurai – $2,384 ($546,362 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Shark Tale – $55,734,701 ($300,695,681 total)
9. The Motorcycle Diaries – $4,447,837 ($14,558,429 total)
20. Hero – $894,006 ($133,746,405 total)
24. Spider-Man 2 – $668,018 ($943,652,005 total)
29. The Village – $381,434 ($288,108,655 total)
30. I, Robot – $375,685 ($364,822,072 total)
31. Being Julia – $309,533 ($309,533 total)
32. Maria Full of Grace – $280,386 ($15,867,807 total)
49. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $133,497 ($631,321,058 total)
52. Vera Drake – $103,512 ($191,625 total)
61. Zelary – $71,465 ($382,482 total)
80. Before Sunset – $37,289 ($14,604,871 total)
125. The Twilight Samurai – $6,038 ($1,383,777 total)

Oscar Details:

• Before Sunset: Adapted Screenplay
• Being Julia: Actress (Annette Bening)
• 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)
• The Motorcycle Diaries : Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Al Otro Lado del Rio”) [O]
• Shark Tale: Animated Feature
• Spider-Man 2: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• The Twilight Samurai: Foreign Language Film
• Vera Drake: Director, Actress (Imelda Staunton), Original Screenplay
• The Village : Original Score
• Zelary: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of October 15-17, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

1. Fight Club – $11,035,485 ($11,035,485 total) {week 1}
5. American Beauty – $6,608,144 ($41,159,439 total) {week 5}
8. The Sixth Sense – $5,160,171 ($249,858,389 total) {week 11}
17. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $435,504 ($426,818,051 total) {week 22}
31. Buena Vista Social Club – $133,275 ($5,867,968 total) {week 20}
33. Tarzan – $123,754 ($170,259,620 total) {week 18}
34. Boys Don’t Cry – $121,018 ($237,504 total) {week 2}
39. The Straight Story – $92,312 ($92,312 total) {week 1}
55. The Red Violin – $39,350 ($9,757,568 total) {week 40}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Fight Club – $17,661,121 ($17,661,121 total)
5. American Beauty – $10,575,632 ($65,871,307 total)
8. The Sixth Sense – $8,258,305 ($399,871,792 total)
17. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $696,978 ($683,076,920 total)
31. Buena Vista Social Club – $213,292 ($9,391,059 total)
33. Tarzan – $198,055 ($272,482,423 total)
34. Boys Don’t Cry – $193,676 ($380,100 total)
39. The Straight Story – $147,736 ($147,736 total)
55. The Red Violin – $62,975 ($15,615,950 total)

Oscar Details:

• American Beauty: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Actress (Annette Bening), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography
• Boys Don’t Cry: Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actress (Chloe Sevigny)
• Buena Vista Social Club: Documentary Feature
• Fight Club: Sound Effects
• The Red Violin : Original Score [O]
• The Sixth Sense : Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment), Supporting Actress (Toni Collette), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• The Straight Story : Actor (Richard Farnsworth)
• Tarzan: Original Song (“You’ll Be In My Heart”)

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of October 21-23, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

1. Pulp Fiction – $8,389,221 ($21,670,188 total) {week 2}
8. Forrest Gump – $2,795,175 ($283,580,700 total) {week 16}
10. The Shawshank Redemption – $2,143,375 ($10,235,401 total) {week 5}
11. Quiz Show – $1,563,145 ($17,916,825 total) {week 6}
999. Bullets Over Broadway – $86,072 ($86,072 total) {week 1}
999. Ed Wood – $470,996 ($4,838,456 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Pulp Fiction – $16,316,834 ($42,147,997 total)
8. Forrest Gump – $5,436,549 ($551,557,677 total)
10. The Shawshank Redemption – $4,168,813 ($19,907,610 total)
11. Quiz Show – $3,040,280 ($34,847,796 total)
999. Bullets Over Broadway – $167,408 ($167,408 total)
999. Ed Wood – $916,076 ($9,410,681 total)

Oscar Details:

• Bullets Over Broadway: Director, Supporting Actor (Chazz Palminteri), Supporting Actress (Meg Tilly, Dianne Wiest [O]), Original Screenplay, Art Direction, Costume Design
• Ed Wood: Supporting Actor (Martin Landau) [O], Makeup [O]
• 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]
• Pulp Fiction: Picture, Director, Actor (John Travolta), Supporting Actor (Samuel L. Jackson), Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), Original Screenplay [O], Editing
• Quiz Show: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Paul Scofield), Adapted Screenplay
• The Shawshank Redemption : Picture, Actor (Morgan Freeman), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of October 20-22, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

4. Black Rain – $2,844,545 ($36,113,461 total) {week 5}
7. The Fabulous Baker Boys – $2,778,848 ($7,292,181 total) {week 2}
9. Parenthood – $1,508,325 ($89,418,930 total) {week 12}
12. When Harry Met Sally… – $1,114,289 ($86,689,724 total) {week 15}
13. Crimes and Misdemeanors – $925,463 ($2,225,118 total) {week 2}
999. Batman – $299,580 ($247,932,803 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Black Rain – $5,825,227 ($73,955,274 total)
7. The Fabulous Baker Boys – $5,690,689 ($14,933,358 total)
9. Parenthood – $3,088,837 ($183,117,355 total)
12. When Harry Met Sally… – $2,281,907 ($177,528,326 total)
13. Crimes and Misdemeanors – $1,895,218 ($4,556,728 total)
999. Batman – $613,498 ($507,731,408 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman: Art Direction [O]
• Black Rain: Sound, Sound Effects
• Crimes and Misdemeanors: Director, Supporting Actor (Martin Landau), Original Screenplay
• The Fabulous Baker Boys : Actress (Michelle Pfeiffer), Original Score, Editing, Cinematography
• Parenthood: Supporting Actress (Dianne Wiest), Original Song (“I Love To See You Smile”)
• When Harry Met Sally…: Original Screenplay

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of October 19-21, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

2. Places in the Heart – $3,133,493 ($13,391,742 total) {week 5}
7. A Soldier’s Story – $1,578,635 ($7,198,464 total) {week 6}
8. Ghostbusters – $1,743,706 ($211,132,507 total) {week 20}
10. Purple Rain – $1,124,609 ($63,358,487 total) {week 13}
12. The Karate Kid – $1,030,451 ($84,909,324 total) {week 18}
14. Amadeus – $936,675 ($4,976,735 total) {week 5}
15. Country – $825,657 ($1,873,364 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Places in the Heart – $7,581,934 ($32,403,233 total)
7. A Soldier’s Story – $3,819,733 ($17,417,712 total)
8. Ghostbusters – $4,219,146 ($510,865,262 total)
10. Purple Rain – $2,721,152 ($153,304,911 total)
12. The Karate Kid – $2,493,323 ($205,450,239 total)
14. Amadeus – $2,266,419 ($12,041,921 total)
15. Country – $1,997,795 ($4,532,872 total)

Oscar Details:

• Amadeus: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (F. Murray Abraham [O], Tom Hulce), Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup [O], Sound [O]
• Country: Actress (Jessica Lange)
• Ghostbusters: Original Song (“Ghostbusters”), Visual Effects
• The Karate Kid : Supporting Actor (Noriyuki ‘Pat’ Morita)
• Places in the Heart: Picture, Director, Actress (Sally Field) [O], Supporting Actor (John Malkovich), Supporting Actress (Linsday Crouse), Original Screenplay [O], Costume Design
• Purple Rain: Original Song Score [O]
• A Soldier’s Story: Picture, Supporting Actor (Adolph Caesar), Adapted Screenplay