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

Nightcrawler (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Original Screenplay.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 2009

Weekend Box Office:

13. A Serious Man – $1,036,396 ($4,595,629 total) {week 5}
15. An Education – $467,376 ($1,537,993 total) {week 4}
20. Coco Before Chanel – $322,211 ($2,392,343 total) {week 6}
28. Bright Star – $132,684 ($4,121,818 total) {week 7}
31. Inglourious Basterds – $114,162 ($119,596,251 total) {week 11}
33. Julie & Julia – $106,529 ($93,486,212 total) {week 13}
38. District 9 – $82,319 ($115,646,235 total) {week 12}
51. Up – $46,268 ($292,979,556 total) {week 23}
79. Departures – $7,959 ($1,465,987 total) {week 23}
98. The Baader Meinhof Complex – $3,376 ($452,149 total) {week 11}
107. The Cove – $1,626 ($838,396 total) {week 14}
121. Food, Inc. – $444 ($4,410,116 total) {week 21}
124. Il Divo – $329 ($237,577 total) {week 27}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

13. A Serious Man – $1,123,453 ($4,981,662 total)
15. An Education – $506,636 ($1,667,184 total)
20. Coco Before Chanel – $349,277 ($2,593,300 total)
28. Bright Star – $143,829 ($4,468,051 total)
31. Inglourious Basterds – $123,752 ($129,642,336 total)
33. Julie & Julia – $115,477 ($101,339,054 total)
38. District 9 – $89,234 ($125,360,519 total)
51. Up – $50,155 ($317,589,839 total)
79. Departures – $8,628 ($1,589,130 total)
98. The Baader Meinhof Complex – $3,660 ($490,130 total)
107. The Cove – $1,763 ($908,821 total)
121. Food, Inc. – $481 ($4,780,566 total)
124. Il Divo – $357 ($257,533 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. 29-31, 2004

Weekend Box Office:

2. Ray – $20,039,730 ($20,039,730 total) {week 1}
4. Shark Tale – $7,502,096 ($146,859,079 total) {week 5}
14. The Motorcycle Diaries – $991,229 ($9,301,385 total) {week 6}
16. Sideways – $404,605 ($710,076 total) {week 2}
19. Being Julia – $305,324 ($793,947 total) {week 3}
20. Vera Drake – $297,553 ($788,198 total) {week 4}
28. Spider-Man 2 – $134,674 ($373,068,126 total) {week 18}
31. Hero – $85,667 ($53,242,836 total) {week 1}
32. I, Robot – $85,442 ($144,368,486 total) {week 16}
36. The Village – $71,140 ($114,034,203 total) {week 14}
46. Maria Full of Grace – $42,282 ($6,462,472 total) {week 16}
52. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $31,662 ($249,358,727 total) {week 22}
64. Zelary – $18,079 ($223,072 total) {week 7}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Ray – $50,754,830 ($50,754,830 total)
4. Shark Tale – $19,000,636 ($371,951,499 total)
14. The Motorcycle Diaries – $2,510,496 ($23,557,713 total)
16. Sideways – $1,024,747 ($1,798,417 total)
19. Being Julia – $773,297 ($2,010,838 total)
20. Vera Drake – $753,616 ($1,996,277 total)
28. Spider-Man 2 – $341,090 ($944,873,478 total)
31. Hero – $216,970 ($134,848,678 total)
32. I, Robot – $216,400 ($365,643,549 total)
36. The Village – $180,177 ($288,815,598 total)
46. Maria Full of Grace – $107,088 ($16,367,569 total)
52. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $80,191 ($631,553,411 total)
64. Zelary – $45,789 ($564,977 total)

Oscar Details:

• 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]
• Ray: Picture, Director, Actor (Jamie Foxx) [O], Editing, Costume Design, Sound Mixing [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. 29-31, 1999

Weekend Box Office:

4. American Beauty – $3,779,747 ($54,106,032 total) {week 7}
5. Music of the Heart – $3,653,281 ($3,653,281 total) {week 1}
7. Fight Club – $3,296,137 ($27,659,756 total) {week 3}
8. The Sixth Sense – $3,200,961 ($259,835,832 total) {week 13}
17. Being John Malkovich – $637,721 ($637,721 total) {week 1}
19. The Straight Story – $372,733 ($863,769 total) {week 3}
25. Boys Don’t Cry – $257,330 ($975,059 total) {week 4}
27. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $222,596 ($427,607,869 total) {week 24}
40. Buena Vista Social Club – $99,028 ($6,230,440 total) {week 22}
48. The Red Violin – $62,037 ($9,877,822 total) {week 42}
54. Tarzan – $40,661 ($170,445,708 total) {week 20}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. American Beauty – $6,049,083 ($86,590,953 total)
5. Music of the Heart – $5,846,688 ($5,846,688 total)
7. Fight Club – $5,275,117 ($44,266,499 total)
8. The Sixth Sense – $5,122,798 ($415,839,629 total)
17. Being John Malkovich – $1,020,605 ($1,020,605 total)
19. The Straight Story – $596,520 ($1,382,370 total)
25. Boys Don’t Cry – $411,829 ($1,560,478 total)
27. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $356,241 ($684,340,940 total)
40. Buena Vista Social Club – $158,484 ($9,971,157 total)
48. The Red Violin – $99,284 ($15,808,404 total)
54. Tarzan – $65,074 ($272,780,237 total)

Oscar Details:

• American Beauty: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Actress (Annette Bening), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography
• Being John Malkovich: Director, Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), Original Screenplay
• Boys Don’t Cry: Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actress (Chloe Sevigny)
• Buena Vista Social Club: Documentary Feature
• Fight Club: Sound Effects
• Music of the Heart: Actress, Original Song (“Music of My Heart”)
• 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 Nov. 4-6, 1994

Weekend Box Office:

2. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – $11,212,889 ($11,212,889 total) {week 1}
4. Pulp Fiction – $5,142,126 ($38,145,544 total) {week 4}
9. Forrest Gump – $1,976,494 ($288,920,473 total) {week 18}
11. Bullets Over Broadway – $1,393,709 ($2,275,553 total) {week 3}
14. The Shawshank Redemption – $1,201,378 ($14,210,084 total) {week 7}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – $21,808,801 ($21,808,801 total)
4. Pulp Fiction – $10,001,312 ($74,192,171 total)
9. Forrest Gump – $3,844,234 ($561,943,408 total)
11. Bullets Over Broadway – $2,710,731 ($4,425,896 total)
14. The Shawshank Redemption – $2,336,651 ($27,638,273 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]
• Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Makeup
• Pulp Fiction: Picture, Director, Actor (John Travolta), Supporting Actor (Samuel L. Jackson), Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), Original Screenplay [O], Editing
• The Shawshank Redemption : Picture, Actor (Morgan Freeman), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 3-5, 1989

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Bear – $5,069,295 ($9,929,361 total) {week 2}
4. Crimes and Misdemeanors – $2,644,424 ($6,227,221 total) {week 4}
10. The Fabulous Baker Boys – $1,619,875 ($12,049,351 total) {week 4}
11. Black Rain – $1,565,656 ($40,892,166 total) {week 7}
14. Parenthood – $966,600 ($91,737,460 total) {week 14}
15. Batman – $826,415 ($250,003,913 total) {week 20}
16. Dad – $714,225 ($1,473,406 total) {week 2}
999. For All Mankind (Doc) – $33,777 ($38,510 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Bear – $10,381,201 ($20,333,931 total)
4. Crimes and Misdemeanors – $5,415,407 ($12,752,470 total)
10. The Fabulous Baker Boys – $3,317,276 ($24,675,371 total)
11. Black Rain – $3,206,243 ($83,741,388 total)
14. Parenthood – $1,979,460 ($187,865,378 total)
15. Batman – $1,692,381 ($511,972,749 total)
16. Dad – $1,462,632 ($3,017,328 total)
999. For All Mankind (Doc) – $69,171 ($78,863 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
• For All Mankind (Doc):
• Parenthood: Supporting Actress (Dianne Wiest), Original Song (“I Love To See You Smile”)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 2-4, 1984

Weekend Box Office:

2. Places in the Heart – $2,532,800 ($19,679,440 total) {week 7}
5. A Soldier’s Story – $2,140,140 ($11,546,133 total) {week 8}
11. Ghostbusters – $1,058,105 ($214,191,229 total) {week 22}
13. Amadeus – $887,477 ($7,519,419 total) {week 7}
999. The Killing Fields – $32,181 ($32,181 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Places in the Heart – $6,128,471 ($47,617,216 total)
5. A Soldier’s Story – $5,178,374 ($27,937,518 total)
11. Ghostbusters – $2,560,236 ($518,266,277 total)
13. Amadeus – $2,147,377 ($18,194,308 total)
999. The Killing Fields – $77,867 ($77,867 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
• The Killing Fields : Picture, Director, Actor (Sam Waterston), Supporting Actor (Haing S. Ngor) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography [O]
• 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