Every week, we’ll take a look back in 5-year intervals at the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office each weekend historically. All data is collected from Box Office Mojo. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office (as well as a section looking at the inflation-adjusted numbers). The third 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 shots at this stage of the game. If you have any suggestions for more data you’d like to see, please let us know.

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

Our Brand Is Crisis (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Sandra Bullock).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 29-31, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

5. Hereafter – $6,422,327 ($22,263,797 total) {week 3}
7. The Social Network – $4,515,105 ($79,520,984 total) {week 5}
9. The Town – $1,975,260 ($87,626,867 total) {week 7}
20. Inception – $362,531 ($290,948,208 total) {week 16}
22. Toy Story 3 – $305,636 ($413,913,145 total) {week 20}
27. Inside Job – $184,149 ($602,698 total) {week 4}
65. Animal Kingdom – $12,388 ($966,408 total) {week 12}
69. Waste Land – $9,806 ($9,806 total) {week 1}
80. Winter’s Bone – $5,820 ($6,210,516 total) {week 21}
83. I Am Love – $5,022 ($4,987,468 total) {week 20}
97. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $1,333 ($3,290,582 total) {week 29}
100. Restrepo – $1,044 ($1,322,552 total) {week 19}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Hereafter – $6,650,242 ($23,053,894 total)
7. The Social Network – $4,675,337 ($82,343,021 total)
9. The Town – $2,045,358 ($90,736,566 total)
20. Inception – $375,396 ($301,273,366 total)
22. Toy Story 3 – $316,482 ($428,602,078 total)
27. Inside Job – $190,684 ($624,087 total)
65. Animal Kingdom – $12,828 ($1,000,704 total)
69. Waste Land – $10,154 ($10,154 total)
80. Winter’s Bone – $6,027 ($6,430,915 total)
83. I Am Love – $5,200 ($5,164,463 total)
97. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $1,380 ($3,407,358 total)
100. Restrepo – $1,081 ($1,369,487 total)

Oscar Details:

• Animal Kingdom: Supporting Actress (Jacki Weaver)
• Exit Through the Gift Shop: Documentary Feature
• Hereafter: Visual Effects
• I Am Love: Costume Design
• Inception: Picture, Original Screenplay, Original Score, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Inside Job: Documentary Feature
• Restrepo: Documentary Feature
• The Social Network: Picture, Directing, Actor (Jesse Eisenberg), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography, Sound Mixing
• The Town: Supporting Actor (Jeremy Renner)
• Toy Story 3: Picture, Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“We Belong Together”) [O], Sound Editing
• Waste Land: Documentary Feature
• Winter’s Bone: Picture, Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Supporting Actor (John Hawkes), Adapted Screenplay

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 4-6, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

7. Good Night, and Good Luck. – $3,066,046 ($10,972,902 total) {week 5}
11. North Country – $2,152,420 ($15,646,363 total) {week 3}
12. Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit – $2,099,102 ($52,824,214 total) {week 5}
17. Capote – $1,014,007 ($4,947,670 total) {week 6}
18. A History of Violence – $814,257 ($29,909,243 total) {week 7}
21. The Squid and the Whale – $400,201 ($1,826,652 total) {week 5}
23. Corpse Bride – $325,073 ($52,506,498 total) {week 8}
27. March of the Penguins – $222,425 ($76,805,884 total) {week 20}
30. The Constant Gardener – $184,697 ($33,221,108 total) {week 10}
34. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $153,965 ($206,108,092 total) {week 17}
42. Paradise Now – $100,275 ($171,774 total) {week 2}
58. War of the Worlds – $39,898 ($234,206,993 total) {week 19}
73. Junebug – $15,440 ($2,642,764 total) {week 14}
105. Darwin’s Nightmare – $2,426 ($72,191 total) {week 14}
121. Cinderella Man – $824 ($61,615,332 total) {week 23}
122. Hustle & Flow – $747 ($22,200,569 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Good Night, and Good Luck. – $3,907,893 ($13,985,742 total)
11. North Country – $2,743,412 ($19,942,400 total)
12. Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit – $2,675,454 ($67,328,210 total)
17. Capote – $1,292,424 ($6,306,157 total)
18. A History of Violence – $1,037,828 ($38,121,453 total)
21. The Squid and the Whale – $510,085 ($2,328,198 total)
23. Corpse Bride – $414,329 ($66,923,259 total)
27. March of the Penguins – $283,496 ($97,894,551 total)
30. The Constant Gardener – $235,409 ($42,342,660 total)
34. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $196,239 ($262,699,393 total)
42. Paradise Now – $127,808 ($218,938 total)
58. War of the Worlds – $50,853 ($298,513,437 total)
73. Junebug – $19,679 ($3,368,390 total)
105. Darwin’s Nightmare – $3,092 ($92,013 total)
121. Cinderella Man – $1,050 ($78,533,114 total)
122. Hustle & Flow – $952 ($28,296,201 total)

Oscar Details:

• Capote: Picture, Directing, Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman) [O], Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), Adapted Screenplay
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Costume Design
• Cinderella Man: Supporting Actor (Paul Giamatti), Editing, Makeup
• The Constant Gardener: Supporting Actress (Rachel Weisz) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Origianl Score, Editing
• Corpse Bride: Animated Feature
• Darwin’s Nightmare: Documentary Feature
• Good Night, and Good Luck.: Picture, Directing, Actor (David Strathairn), Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Art Direction
• A History of Violence: Supporting Actor (William Hurt), Adapted Screenplay
• Hustle & Flow: Actor (Terrence Howard), Original Song (“It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp”) [O]
• Junebug: Supporting Actress (Amy Adams)
• March of the Penguins: Documentary Feature [O]
• North Country: Actress (Charlize Theron), Supporting Actress (Frances McDormand)
• Paradise Now: Foreign Language Film
• The Squid and the Whale: Original Screenplay
• Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit: Animated Feature [O]
• War of the Worlds: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 3-5, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

2. Meet the Parents – $12,638,560 ($116,464,490 total) {week 5}
12. The Contender – $1,366,251 ($16,120,906 total) {week 4}
13. Billy Elliot – $1,034,005 ($2,827,917 total) {week 4}
18. Almost Famous – $460,581 ($30,511,244 total) {week 8}
22. The Perfect Storm – $252,693 ($182,066,354 total) {week 19}
23. Requiem for a Dream – $251,313 ($643,650 total) {week 5}
26. Dancer in the Dark – $226,529 ($2,839,256 total) {week 7}
39. Hollow Man – $86,488 ($73,102,612 total) {week 14}
53. Space Cowboys – $48,145 ($89,699,441 total) {week 14}
60. The Cell – $29,463 ($60,791,931 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Meet the Parents – $19,157,149 ($176,533,374 total)
12. The Contender – $2,070,922 ($24,435,585 total)
13. Billy Elliot – $1,567,314 ($4,286,472 total)
18. Almost Famous – $698,135 ($46,248,027 total)
22. The Perfect Storm – $383,024 ($275,970,707 total)
23. Requiem for a Dream – $380,933 ($975,625 total)
26. Dancer in the Dark – $343,366 ($4,303,659 total)
39. Hollow Man – $131,096 ($110,806,742 total)
53. Space Cowboys – $72,977 ($135,963,717 total)
60. The Cell – $44,659 ($92,146,582 total)

Oscar Details:

• Almost Famous: Supporting Actress (Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand), Original Screenplay [O], Editing
• Billy Elliot: Directing, Supporting Actress (Julie Walters), Original Screenplay
• The Cell: Makeup
• The Contender: Actress (Joan Allen), Supporting Actor (Jeff Bridges)
• Dancer in the Dark: Original Song (“I’ve Seen It All”)
• Hollow Man: Visual Effects
• Meet the Parents: Original Song (“A Fool in Love”)
• The Perfect Storm: Sound, Visual Effects
• Requiem for a Dream: Actress (Ellen Burstyn)
• Space Cowboys: Sound Editing

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 3-5, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

8. Seven – $3,734,101 ($78,351,444 total) {week 7}
999. Apollo 13 – $405,025 ($171,177,390 total) {week 19}
999. Batman Forever – $98,384 ($183,997,904 total) {week 21}
999. Braveheart – $25,212 ($66,877,467 total) {week 24}
999. Leaving Las Vegas – $92,715 ($212,887 total) {week 2}
999. Mighty Aphrodite – $808,248 ($1,265,302 total) {week 2}
999. The Usual Suspects – $252,711 ($21,615,502 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. Seven – $7,013,243 ($147,156,620 total)
999. Apollo 13 – $760,702 ($321,498,684 total)
999. Batman Forever – $184,781 ($345,577,673 total)
999. Braveheart – $47,352 ($125,606,645 total)
999. Leaving Las Vegas – $174,134 ($399,836 total)
999. Mighty Aphrodite – $1,518,020 ($2,376,441 total)
999. The Usual Suspects – $474,632 ($40,597,391 total)

Oscar Details:

• Apollo 13: Picture, Supporting Actor (Ed Harris), Supporting Actress (Kathleen Quinlan), Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing [O], Art Direction, Sound [O], Visual Effects
• Batman Forever: Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• Braveheart: Picture [O], Directing [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Leaving Las Vegas: Directing, Actor (Nicolas Cage) [O], Actress (Elisabeth Shue), Adapted Screenplay
• Mighty Aphrodite: Supporting Actress (Mira Sorvino) [O], Original Screenplay
• Seven: Editing
• The Usual Suspects: Supporting Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Original Screenplay [O]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 2-4, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

3. Ghost – $3,216,491 ($180,632,227 total) {week 17}
10. Avalon – $1,727,200 ($8,826,094 total) {week 5}
13. Good Fellas – $1,458,600 ($35,462,192 total) {week 7}
999. Reversal of Fortune – $790,002 ($1,786,484 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Ghost – $6,212,466 ($348,880,684 total)
10. Avalon – $3,335,987 ($17,047,089 total)
13. Good Fellas – $2,817,201 ($68,493,170 total)
999. Reversal of Fortune – $1,525,843 ($3,450,490 total)

Oscar Details:

• Avalon: Original Screenplay, Original Score, Cinematography, Costume Design
• Ghost: Picture, Supporting Actress (Whoopi Goldberg) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing
• Good Fellas: Picture, Directing, Supporting Actor (Joe Pesci), Supporting Actres (Lorraine Bracco), Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• Reversal of Fortune: Directing, Actor (Jeremy Irons) [O], Adapted Screenplay

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 1-3, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

3. Jagged Edge – $3,101,086 ($22,429,156 total) {week 5}
5. Back to the Future – $2,360,236 ($172,920,843 total) {week 18}
8. Agnes of God – $1,441,985 ($20,864,553 total) {week 8}
9. Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins – $1,408,156 ($11,041,527 total) {week 4}
12. Sweet Dreams – $898,800 ($7,221,542 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Jagged Edge – $7,136,866 ($51,618,649 total)
5. Back to the Future – $5,431,867 ($397,961,489 total)
8. Agnes of God – $3,318,596 ($48,017,859 total)
9. Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins – $3,240,742 ($25,411,064 total)
12. Sweet Dreams – $2,068,506 ($16,619,718 total)

Oscar Details:

• Agnes of God: Actress (Anne Bancroft), Supporting Actress (Meg Tilly), Original Score
• Back to the Future: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“The Power of Love’), Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Jagged Edge: Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup
• Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins: Makeup
• Sweet Dreams: Actress (Jessica Lange)