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 Oct. 23-25, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

12. A Serious Man – $1,093,217 ($3,196,496 total) {week 4}
19. An Education – $367,371 ($940,265 total) {week 3}
20. Coco Before Chanel – $353,000 ($2,907,790 total) {week 5}
25. Bright Star – $212,138 ($3,901,214 total) {week 6}
32. Inglourious Basterds – $176,550 ($119,396,075 total) {week 10}
33. District 9 – $148,051 ($115,502,313 total) {week 11}
34. Julie & Julia – $144,530 ($93,323,576 total) {week 12}
41. Up – $74,126 ($292,913,068 total) {week 22}
81. Departures – $8,674 ($1,453,706 total) {week 22}
87. Food, Inc. – $5,609 ($4,406,618 total) {week 20}
92. The Baader Meinhof Complex – $5,022 ($446,349 total) {week 10}
97. The Cove – $3,011 ($833,173 total) {week 13}
114. Il Divo – $1,085 ($236,721 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

12. A Serious Man – $1,185,047 ($3,465,002 total)
19. An Education – $398,230 ($1,019,247 total)
20. Coco Before Chanel – $382,652 ($3,152,044 total)
25. Bright Star – $229,958 ($4,228,916 total)
32. Inglourious Basterds – $191,380 ($129,425,345 total)
33. District 9 – $160,487 ($125,204,507 total)
34. Julie & Julia – $156,671 ($101,162,756 total)
41. Up – $80,353 ($317,517,766 total)
81. Departures – $9,403 ($1,575,817 total)
87. Food, Inc. – $6,080 ($4,776,774 total)
92. The Baader Meinhof Complex – $5,444 ($483,842 total)
97. The Cove – $3,264 ($903,160 total)
114. Il Divo – $1,176 ($256,606 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
• 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 Oct. 22-24, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

2. Shark Tale – $14,308,271 ($136,982,460 total) {week 4}
11. The Motorcycle Diaries – $1,430,875 ($7,810,333 total) {week 5}
19. Vera Drake – $286,903 ($380,432 total) {week 3}
23. Being Julia – $223,292 ($392,702 total) {week 2}
24. Sideways – $207,042 ($207,042 total) {week 1}
25. Spider-Man 2 – $204,816 ($372,871,182 total) {week 17}
26. Hero – $166,158 ($53,095,537 total) {week 1}
29. I, Robot – $136,966 ($144,240,513 total) {week 15}
32. The Village – $111,277 ($113,922,460 total) {week 13}
41. Maria Full of Grace – $76,497 ($6,384,953 total) {week 15}
53. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $42,933 ($249,319,248 total) {week 21}
59. Zelary – $30,452 ($192,773 total) {week 6}
66. Before Sunset – $17,590 ($5,792,822 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Shark Tale – $36,238,705 ($346,936,885 total)
11. The Motorcycle Diaries – $3,623,992 ($19,781,311 total)
19. Vera Drake – $726,642 ($963,524 total)
23. Being Julia – $565,534 ($994,600 total)
24. Sideways – $524,377 ($524,377 total)
25. Spider-Man 2 – $518,740 ($944,374,676 total)
26. Hero – $420,830 ($134,475,612 total)
29. I, Robot – $346,895 ($365,319,430 total)
32. The Village – $281,832 ($288,532,586 total)
41. Maria Full of Grace – $193,745 ($16,171,236 total)
53. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $108,737 ($631,453,423 total)
59. Zelary – $77,126 ($488,238 total)
66. Before Sunset – $44,550 ($14,671,540 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
• Sideways: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Thomas Haden Church), Supporting Actress (Virginia Madsen), Adapted Screenplay [O]
• Spider-Man 2: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Vera Drake: Director, Actress (Imelda Staunton), Original Screenplay
• The Village : Original Score
• Zelary: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 22-24, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

3. Fight Club – $6,335,870 ($21,891,717 total) {week 2}
6. American Beauty – $5,180,253 ($48,630,401 total) {week 6}
10. The Sixth Sense – $4,057,846 ($255,501,006 total) {week 12}
23. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $322,670 ($427,285,100 total) {week 23}
24. Boys Don’t Cry – $307,581 ($595,961 total) {week 3}
27. The Straight Story – $276,787 ($406,321 total) {week 2}
37. Buena Vista Social Club – $132,767 ($6,052,563 total) {week 21}
43. Tarzan – $85,073 ($170,383,451 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Fight Club – $10,139,886 ($35,035,366 total)
6. American Beauty – $8,290,444 ($77,827,787 total)
10. The Sixth Sense – $6,494,151 ($408,902,201 total)
23. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $516,399 ($683,824,382 total)
24. Boys Don’t Cry – $492,251 ($953,772 total)
27. The Straight Story – $442,968 ($650,274 total)
37. Buena Vista Social Club – $212,479 ($9,686,484 total)
43. Tarzan – $136,150 ($272,680,602 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 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 Oct. 28-30, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

2. Pulp Fiction – $5,690,054 ($30,570,220 total) {week 3}
9. Forrest Gump – $1,861,298 ($286,262,226 total) {week 17}
11. The Shawshank Redemption – $1,470,640 ($12,469,484 total) {week 6}
15. Quiz Show – $948,292 ($19,301,923 total) {week 7}
999. Bullets Over Broadway – $537,590 ($674,294 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Pulp Fiction – $11,067,019 ($59,458,347 total)
9. Forrest Gump – $3,620,180 ($556,773,181 total)
11. The Shawshank Redemption – $2,860,360 ($24,252,848 total)
15. Quiz Show – $1,844,405 ($37,541,778 total)
999. Bullets Over Broadway – $1,045,600 ($1,311,486 total)

Oscar Details:

• Bullets Over Broadway: Director, Supporting Actor (Chazz Palminteri), Supporting Actress (Meg Tilly, Dianne Wiest [O]), Original Screenplay, Art Direction, Costume Design
• 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 Oct. 27-29, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

3. The Bear – $3,676,530 ($3,676,530 total) {week 1}
6. Black Rain – $1,752,800 ($38,716,100 total) {week 6}
8. The Fabulous Baker Boys – $1,730,632 ($9,817,880 total) {week 3}
13. Parenthood – $824,985 ($90,574,435 total) {week 13}
14. Batman – $804,918 ($248,839,030 total) {week 19}
15. Crimes and Misdemeanors – $735,263 ($3,298,361 total) {week 3}
999. Dad – $540,148 ($540,148 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. The Bear – $7,529,015 ($7,529,015 total)
6. Black Rain – $3,589,487 ($79,285,112 total)
8. The Fabulous Baker Boys – $3,544,090 ($20,105,633 total)
13. Parenthood – $1,689,453 ($185,483,667 total)
14. Batman – $1,648,359 ($509,587,233 total)
15. Crimes and Misdemeanors – $1,505,715 ($6,754,578 total)
999. Dad – $1,106,147 ($1,106,147 total)

Oscar Details:

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

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 26-28, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

4. Places in the Heart – $2,788,330 ($16,811,317 total) {week 6}
11. A Soldier’s Story – $1,319,685 ($9,032,228 total) {week 7}
13. Ghostbusters – $1,572,599 ($212,640,893 total) {week 21}
14. Amadeus – $866,772 ($6,224,740 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Places in the Heart – $6,746,763 ($40,677,383 total)
11. A Soldier’s Story – $3,193,166 ($21,854,766 total)
13. Ghostbusters – $3,805,128 ($514,515,018 total)
14. Amadeus – $2,097,279 ($15,061,648 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]
• Ghostbusters: Original Song (“Ghostbusters”), Visual Effects
• Places in the Heart: Picture, Director, Actress (Sally Field) [O], Supporting Actor (John Malkovich), Supporting Actress (Linsday Crouse), Original Screenplay [O], Costume Design
• A Soldier’s Story: Picture, Supporting Actor (Adolph Caesar), Adapted Screenplay