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

Ender’s Game (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

Free Birds (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Animated Feature.

Dallas Buyers Club (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actor (Matthew McConaughey), Supporting Actor (Jared Leto), Original Screenplay.

Diana (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Naomi Watts).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

4. Changeling – $9,351,560 ($10,031,122 total) {week 2}
17. Rachel Getting Married – $711,380 ($3,691,540 total) {week 5}
19. The Duchess – $623,310 ($12,331,518 total) {week 7}
25. Happy-Go-Lucky – $277,006 ($762,761 total) {week 4}
26. The Dark Knight – $270,468 ($528,213,279 total) {week 16}
29. WALL-E – $211,392 ($222,722,986 total) {week 19}
34. Tropic Thunder – $120,057 ($110,268,794 total) {week 12}
40. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $82,160 ($22,121,273 total) {week 12}
56. Frozen River – $26,227 ($2,198,174 total) {week 14}
63. Man on Wire – $20,161 ($2,771,553 total) {week 15}
69. Trouble the Water – $16,209 ($425,461 total) {week 11}
112. Encounters at the End of the World – $1,730 ($943,934 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Changeling – $10,341,419 ($11,092,912 total)
17. Rachel Getting Married – $786,679 ($4,082,288 total)
19. The Duchess – $689,287 ($13,636,804 total)
25. Happy-Go-Lucky – $306,327 ($843,499 total)
26. The Dark Knight – $299,097 ($584,124,434 total)
29. WALL-E – $233,768 ($246,298,121 total)
34. Tropic Thunder – $132,765 ($121,940,700 total)
40. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $90,857 ($24,462,801 total)
56. Frozen River – $29,003 ($2,430,850 total)
63. Man on Wire – $22,295 ($3,064,921 total)
69. Trouble the Water – $17,925 ($470,496 total)
112. Encounters at the End of the World – $1,913 ($1,043,849 total)

Oscar Details:

• Changeling: Actress (Angelina Jolie), Cinematography, Art Direction
• 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
• Happy-Go-Lucky: Original Screenplay
• 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]
• WALL-E: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Down to Earth”), Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

2. Brother Bear – $19,404,492 ($19,802,809 total) {week 2}
6. Mystic River – $6,232,376 ($33,546,588 total) {week 4}
13. Lost in Translation – $1,233,218 ($24,844,481 total) {week 8}
21. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $433,278 ($301,823,371 total) {week 17}
24. Finding Nemo – $289,011 ($339,159,075 total) {week 23}
25. Pieces of April – $232,570 ($551,542 total) {week 3}
31. Seabiscuit – $141,645 ($119,564,075 total) {week 15}
51. American Splendor – $37,555 ($5,811,096 total) {week 12}
55. Winged Migration – $32,384 ($10,600,573 total) {week 29}
58. Dirty Pretty Things – $29,857 ($7,908,251 total) {week 16}
68. Whale Rider – $21,136 ($20,702,778 total) {week 22}
77. Thirteen – $16,407 ($4,533,153 total) {week 11}
99. Spellbound – $5,884 ($5,712,183 total) {week 27}
103. City of God – $4,782 ($4,691,017 total) {week 42}
112. The Weather Underground – $3,502 ($453,628 total) {week 22}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Brother Bear – $25,550,857 ($26,075,341 total)
6. Mystic River – $8,206,479 ($44,172,456 total)
13. Lost in Translation – $1,623,839 ($32,713,960 total)
21. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $570,519 ($397,425,799 total)
24. Finding Nemo – $380,555 ($446,587,571 total)
25. Pieces of April – $306,236 ($726,243 total)
31. Seabiscuit – $186,511 ($157,435,946 total)
51. American Splendor – $49,451 ($7,651,758 total)
55. Winged Migration – $42,642 ($13,958,300 total)
58. Dirty Pretty Things – $39,314 ($10,413,186 total)
68. Whale Rider – $27,831 ($27,260,374 total)
77. Thirteen – $21,604 ($5,969,027 total)
99. Spellbound – $7,748 ($7,521,515 total)
103. City of God – $6,297 ($6,176,895 total)
112. The Weather Underground – $4,611 ($597,314 total)

Oscar Details:

• American Splendor: Adapted Screenplay
• Brother Bear: Animated 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]
• Mystic River: Picture, Director, Actor (Sean Penn) [O], Supporting Actor (Tim Robbins) [O], Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden), Adapted Screenplay
• Pieces of April: Supporting Actress (Patricia Clarkson)
• 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

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

2. Pleasantville – $6,879,604 ($18,294,728 total) {week 2}
8. Beloved – $2,656,117 ($18,712,389 total) {week 3}
9. What Dreams May Come – $2,284,940 ($50,547,986 total) {week 5}
999. American History X – $156,076 ($185,816 total) {week 1}
999. Life Is Beautiful – $459,634 ($651,832 total) {week 2}
999. Saving Private Ryan – $568,678 ($189,658,496 total) {week 15}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Pleasantville – $11,646,920 ($30,972,311 total)
8. Beloved – $4,496,710 ($31,679,396 total)
9. What Dreams May Come – $3,868,321 ($85,575,908 total)
999. American History X – $264,231 ($314,580 total)
999. Life Is Beautiful – $778,144 ($1,103,528 total)
999. Saving Private Ryan – $962,751 ($321,084,959 total)

Oscar Details:

• American History X: Actor (Edward Norton)
• Beloved: Costume Design
• Life Is Beautiful: Picture, Director, Actor (Roberto Benigni) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O], Editing, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Pleasantville: Original Dramatic Score, Art Direction, Costume Design
• 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]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 29-31, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $8,212,477 ($16,496,778 total) {week 3}
9. The Age of Innocence – $1,553,481 ($27,190,937 total) {week 7}
12. The Fugitive – $1,122,563 ($176,074,697 total) {week 13}
13. Fearless – $1,010,024 ($1,469,358 total) {week 3}
999. Jurassic Park – $500,565 ($329,398,445 total) {week 21}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $15,750,499 ($31,638,748 total)
9. The Age of Innocence – $2,979,381 ($52,148,802 total)
12. The Fugitive – $2,152,935 ($337,689,153 total)
13. Fearless – $1,937,099 ($2,818,044 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $960,021 ($631,744,844 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Age of Innocence: Supporting Actress (Winona Ryder), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
• Fearless: Supporting Actress (Rosie Perez)
• The Fugitive: Picture, Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones) [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Nightmare Before Christmas: Visual Effects

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 28-30, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Accused – $3,006,276 ($14,225,673 total) {week 3}
4. Gorillas in the Mist – $1,554,650 ($17,866,977 total) {week 6}
13. Die Hard – $680,673 ($76,181,473 total) {week 16}
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $112,607 ($7,816,140 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Accused – $5,807,745 ($27,482,200 total)
4. Gorillas in the Mist – $3,003,387 ($34,516,739 total)
13. Die Hard – $1,314,974 ($147,172,967 total)
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $217,542 ($15,099,794 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Accused: Actress (Jodie Foster) [O]
• Die Hard: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• Gorillas in the Mist: Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Sound
• The Last Temptation of Christ: Director

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 4-6, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

4. The Big Chill – $2,967,617 ($25,303,941 total) {week 6}
7. The Right Stuff – $1,485,106 ($5,767,908 total) {week 3}
9. Educating Rita – $1,203,990 ($3,589,001 total) {week 7}
12. Under Fire – $715,233 ($4,873,623 total) {week 3}
999. Return of the Jedi – $355,538 ($242,621,536 total) {week 24}
999. Testament – $317,996 ($317,996 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. The Big Chill – $7,480,279 ($63,781,997 total)
7. The Right Stuff – $3,743,410 ($14,538,790 total)
9. Educating Rita – $3,034,819 ($9,046,561 total)
12. Under Fire – $1,802,841 ($12,284,624 total)
999. Return of the Jedi – $896,181 ($611,560,316 total)
999. Testament – $801,552 ($801,552 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Big Chill: Picture, Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Screenplay
• Educating Rita: Actor (Michael Caine), Actress (Julie Walters), Adapted Screenplay
• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• The Right Stuff: Picture, Supporting Actor (Sam Shepard), Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
• Testament: Actress (Jane Alexander)
• Under Fire: Original Score