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

Flight (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actor (Denzel Washington), Original Screenplay, Editing.

Wreck-It Ralph (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

A Late Quartet (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Supporting Actor (Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman), Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), Original Screenplay.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 2-4, 2007

Weekend Box Office:

1. American Gangster – $43,565,115 ($43,565,135 total) {week 1}
8. Michael Clayton – $2,785,133 ($33,083,619 total) {week 5}
10. Gone Baby Gone – $2,237,915 ($14,786,017 total) {week 3}
14. Into the Wild – $1,290,062 ($10,906,359 total) {week 7}
16. Across the Universe – $1,207,449 ($21,051,977 total) {week 8}
19. Elizabeth: The Golden Age – $598,775 ($15,339,475 total) {week 4}
26. Ratatouille – $255,821 ($205,630,874 total) {week 19}
27. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford – $227,398 ($3,296,227 total) {week 7}
28. The Bourne Ultimatum – $201,305 ($226,776,175 total) {week 14}
29. Transformers – $171,103 ($319,014,499 total) {week 18}
32. 3:10 to Yuma – $126,227 ($53,443,978 total) {week 9}
39. Eastern Promises – $78,600 ($17,266,000 total) {week 8}
57. In the Valley of Elah – $22,313 ($6,704,576 total) {week 8}
74. Once – $11,338 ($9,377,957 total) {week 25}
108. No End in Sight – $402 ($1,431,623 total) {week 15}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. American Gangster – $50,150,539 ($50,150,562 total)
8. Michael Clayton – $3,206,141 ($38,084,631 total)
10. Gone Baby Gone – $2,576,204 ($17,021,113 total)
14. Into the Wild – $1,485,071 ($12,554,995 total)
16. Across the Universe – $1,389,970 ($24,234,253 total)
19. Elizabeth: The Golden Age – $689,288 ($17,658,233 total)
26. Ratatouille – $294,492 ($236,714,611 total)
27. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford – $261,772 ($3,794,494 total)
28. The Bourne Ultimatum – $231,735 ($261,056,294 total)
29. Transformers – $196,967 ($367,237,621 total)
32. 3:10 to Yuma – $145,308 ($61,522,719 total)
39. Eastern Promises – $90,481 ($19,875,977 total)
57. In the Valley of Elah – $25,686 ($7,718,058 total)
74. Once – $13,052 ($10,795,555 total)
108. No End in Sight – $463 ($1,648,031 total)

Oscar Details:

• 3:10 to Yuma: Original Score, Sound Mixing
• Across the Universe: Costume Design
• American Gangster: Supporting Actress (Ruby Dee), Art Direction
• The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: Supporting Actor (Casey Affleck), Cinematography
• The Bourne Ultimatum: Film Editing [O], Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O]
• Eastern Promises: Actor (Viggo Mortensen)
• Elizabeth: The Golden Age: Actress (Cate Blanchett), Costume Design [O]
• Gone Baby Gone: Supporting Actress (Amy Ryan)
• In the Valley of Elah: Actor (Tommy Lee Jones)
• Into the Wild: Supporting Actor (Hal Holbrook), Editing
• Michael Clayton: Picture, Director, Actor (George Clooney), Supporting Actor (Tom Wilkinson), Supporting Actress (Tilda Swinton) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score
• No End in Sight: Documentary Feature
• Once: Original Song [O]
• Ratatouille: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Transformers: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 1-3, 2002

Weekend Box Office:

6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $5,623,149 ($185,244,976 total) {week 29}
11. Bowling for Columbine – $1,541,193 ($4,518,239 total) {week 4}
19. Frida – $1,000,862 ($1,323,935 total) {week 2}
26. Spirited Away – $312,224 ($4,417,007 total) {week 7}
31. Lilo & Stitch – $201,101 ($145,177,433 total) {week 20}
93. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $6,663 ($302,191,252 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $7,665,291 ($252,519,830 total)
11. Bowling for Columbine – $2,100,903 ($6,159,114 total)
19. Frida – $1,364,342 ($1,804,744 total)
26. Spirited Away – $425,613 ($6,021,118 total)
31. Lilo & Stitch – $274,134 ($197,901,079 total)
93. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $9,083 ($411,937,128 total)

Oscar Details:

• Bowling for Columbine: Documentary Feature [O]
• Frida: Actress, Original Score [O], Original Song (“Burn It Blue”), Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup [O]
• Lilo & Stitch: Animated Feature
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Original Screenplay
• Spirited Away: Animated Feature [O]
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones: Visual Effects

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 1997

Weekend Box Office:

4. Boogie Nights – $4,681,934 ($8,751,415 total) {week 4}
10. In & Out – $1,728,629 ($59,244,364 total) {week 7}
12. The Full Monty – $1,384,583 ($26,659,028 total) {week 12}
13. L.A. Confidential – $1,276,437 ($31,511,826 total) {week 7}
999. Air Force One – $621,083 ($170,606,595 total) {week 15}
999. Men in Black – $621,083 ($245,012,779 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Boogie Nights – $8,078,631 ($15,100,481 total)
10. In & Out – $2,982,732 ($102,225,569 total)
12. The Full Monty – $2,389,084 ($45,999,891 total)
13. L.A. Confidential – $2,202,480 ($54,373,347 total)
999. Air Force One – $1,071,673 ($294,380,007 total)
999. Men in Black – $1,071,673 ($422,767,148 total)

Oscar Details:

• Air Force One: Editing, Sound
• Boogie Nights: Supporting Actor (Burt Reynolds), Supporting Actress (Julianne Moore), Original Screenplay
• The Full Monty: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Original Musical or Comedy Score [O]
• In & Out: Supporting Actress (Joan Cusack)
• L.A. Confidential: Picture, Director, Supporting Actress (Kim Basinger) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound
• Men in Black: Original Musical or Comedy Score, Art Direction, Makeup [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 1992

Weekend Box Office:

1. Under Siege – $6,195,221 ($51,425,497 total) {week 4}
2. A River Runs Through It – $4,254,015 ($7,455,004 total) {week 4}
4. The Last of the Mohicans – $3,285,806 ($54,560,098 total) {week 6}
13. Glengarry Glen Ross – $561,222 ($7,726,768 total) {week 5}
999. The Lover – $181,147 ($181,147 total) {week 1}
999. Unforgiven – $88,133 ($74,399,883 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Under Siege – $11,823,169 ($98,142,153 total)
2. A River Runs Through It – $8,118,506 ($14,227,381 total)
4. The Last of the Mohicans – $6,270,743 ($104,124,332 total)
13. Glengarry Glen Ross – $1,071,055 ($14,746,025 total)
999. The Lover – $345,707 ($345,707 total)
999. Unforgiven – $168,196 ($141,987,247 total)

Oscar Details:

• Glengarry Glen Ross: Supporting Actor (Al Pacino)
• The Last of the Mohicans: Sound [O]
• The Lover: Foreign Language Film
• A River Runs Through It: Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Cinematography [O]
• Under Siege: Sound, Sound Effects
• Unforgiven: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman) [O], Original Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 1987

Weekend Box Office:

1. Fatal Attraction – $6,407,677 ($75,899,211 total) {week 7}
7. The Princess Bride – $2,044,170 ($16,345,242 total) {week 6}
9. Dirty Dancing – $1,304,542 ($39,210,484 total) {week 11}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Fatal Attraction – $12,979,233 ($153,739,578 total)
7. The Princess Bride – $4,140,621 ($33,108,521 total)
9. Dirty Dancing – $2,642,448 ($79,423,794 total)

Oscar Details:

• Dirty Dancing: Original Song (“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”) [O]
• Fatal Attraction: Picture, Director, Actress (Glenn Close), Supporting Actress (Anne Archer), Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• The Princess Bride: Original Song (“Storybook Love”)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 29-31, 1982

Weekend Box Office:

4. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $2,769,252 ($278,565,874 total) {week 21}
5. An Officer and a Gentleman – $2,511,645 ($83,096,446 total) {week 14}
7. My Favorite Year – $1,481,129 ($9,815,529 total) {week 4}
9. Poltergeist – $1,003,019 (Unknown total) {week 18}
12. Rocky III – $245,234 ($118,342,924 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $7,460,026 ($750,422,354 total)
5. An Officer and a Gentleman – $6,766,064 ($223,851,650 total)
7. My Favorite Year – $3,989,980 ($26,441,833 total)
9. Poltergeist – $2,702,010 (Unknown total)
12. Rocky III – $660,630 ($318,801,346 total)

Oscar Details:

• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Sound [O], Sound Effects Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• My Favorite Year: Actor (Peter O’Toole)
• 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”)