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

Thor: The Dark World (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Production Design, Costume Design, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

The Book Thief (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actress (Sophie Nélisse), Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Supporting Actress (Emily Watson), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 7-9, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

4. Changeling – $7,252,940 ($20,559,497 total) {week 3}
15. Rachel Getting Married – $1,505,507 ($5,415,820 total) {week 6}
21. The Duchess – $403,984 ($13,016,496 total) {week 8}
22. Happy-Go-Lucky – $402,076 ($1,248,218 total) {week 5}
30. The Dark Knight – $219,425 ($528,535,317 total) {week 17}
31. WALL-E – $208,915 ($223,003,468 total) {week 20}
37. Tropic Thunder – $95,882 ($110,416,702 total) {week 13}
39. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $92,153 ($22,249,713 total) {week 13}
56. Man on Wire – $24,649 ($2,812,485 total) {week 16}
63. Frozen River – $19,793 ($2,230,237 total) {week 15}
67. Trouble the Water – $13,229 ($444,753 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Changeling – $8,020,661 ($22,735,711 total)
15. Rachel Getting Married – $1,664,864 ($5,989,082 total)
21. The Duchess – $446,746 ($14,394,287 total)
22. Happy-Go-Lucky – $444,636 ($1,380,341 total)
30. The Dark Knight – $242,651 ($584,480,559 total)
31. WALL-E – $231,029 ($246,608,292 total)
37. Tropic Thunder – $106,031 ($122,104,264 total)
39. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $101,907 ($24,604,836 total)
56. Man on Wire – $27,258 ($3,110,185 total)
63. Frozen River – $21,888 ($2,466,307 total)
67. Trouble the Water – $14,629 ($491,830 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]
• 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 Nov. 7-9, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

3. Brother Bear – $18,526,927 ($44,022,400 total) {week 3}
8. Mystic River – $4,787,247 ($40,435,817 total) {week 5}
13. Lost in Translation – $942,992 ($26,243,929 total) {week 9}
18. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $664,433 ($302,609,731 total) {week 18}
23. Pieces of April – $254,855 ($892,598 total) {week 4}
27. Finding Nemo – $180,158 ($339,424,646 total) {week 24}
30. Seabiscuit – $133,590 ($119,749,905 total) {week 16}
56. American Splendor – $34,636 ($5,863,478 total) {week 13}
58. Dirty Pretty Things – $27,719 ($7,953,388 total) {week 17}
59. Winged Migration – $27,320 ($10,646,376 total) {week 30}
78. Whale Rider – $14,054 ($20,726,326 total) {week 23}
84. Thirteen – $10,563 ($4,553,870 total) {week 12}
100. The Weather Underground – $5,296 ($459,299 total) {week 23}
101. City of God – $5,238 ($4,699,356 total) {week 43}
123. Spellbound – $2,110 ($5,718,406 total) {week 28}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Brother Bear – $24,395,323 ($57,966,477 total)
8. Mystic River – $6,303,606 ($53,243,845 total)
13. Lost in Translation – $1,241,684 ($34,556,683 total)
18. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $874,892 ($398,461,238 total)
23. Pieces of April – $335,580 ($1,175,328 total)
27. Finding Nemo – $237,223 ($446,937,262 total)
30. Seabiscuit – $175,905 ($157,680,638 total)
56. American Splendor – $45,607 ($7,720,732 total)
58. Dirty Pretty Things – $36,499 ($10,472,620 total)
59. Winged Migration – $35,974 ($14,018,611 total)
78. Whale Rider – $18,506 ($27,291,381 total)
84. Thirteen – $13,909 ($5,996,306 total)
100. The Weather Underground – $6,974 ($604,782 total)
101. City of God – $6,897 ($6,187,875 total)
123. Spellbound – $2,778 ($7,529,709 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 Nov. 6-8, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

3. Pleasantville – $5,593,743 ($26,184,082 total) {week 3}
12. Beloved – $1,477,904 ($21,137,134 total) {week 4}
13. What Dreams May Come – $1,467,445 ($52,914,130 total) {week 6}
14. Life Is Beautiful – $837,093 ($1,704,031 total) {week 3}
15. Saving Private Ryan – $448,234 ($190,373,184 total) {week 16}
16. Velvet Goldmine – $301,787 ($301,787 total) {week 1}
17. Elizabeth – $275,131 ($275,131 total) {week 1}
999. American History X – $153,225 ($433,359 total) {week 2}
999. Gods and Monsters – $75,508 ($99,052 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Pleasantville – $9,470,004 ($44,328,702 total)
12. Beloved – $2,502,038 ($35,784,402 total)
13. What Dreams May Come – $2,484,331 ($89,581,704 total)
14. Life Is Beautiful – $1,417,168 ($2,884,863 total)
15. Saving Private Ryan – $758,844 ($322,294,900 total)
16. Velvet Goldmine – $510,914 ($510,914 total)
17. Elizabeth – $465,787 ($465,787 total)
999. American History X – $259,404 ($733,661 total)
999. Gods and Monsters – $127,832 ($167,691 total)

Oscar Details:

• American History X: Actor (Edward Norton)
• Beloved: Costume Design
• Elizabeth: Picture, Actress (Cate Blanchett), Original Dramatic Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup
• Gods and Monsters: Actor (Ian McKellen), Supporting Actress (Lynn Redgrave), Adapted Screenplay [O]
• 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]
• Velvet Goldmine: Costume Design
• What Dreams May Come: Art Direction, Visual Effects [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 5-7, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $7,684,284 ($26,705,704 total) {week 4}
11. Fearless – $1,973,961 ($3,841,582 total) {week 4}
13. The Remains of the Day – $1,528,982 ($1,528,982 total) {week 1}
14. The Age of Innocence – $1,351,609 ($29,022,595 total) {week 8}
999. Jurassic Park – $404,685 ($329,955,860 total) {week 22}
999. The War Room – $15,264 ($21,446 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $14,737,492 ($51,218,186 total)
11. Fearless – $3,785,809 ($7,367,672 total)
13. The Remains of the Day – $2,932,395 ($2,932,395 total)
14. The Age of Innocence – $2,592,216 ($55,661,692 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $776,135 ($632,813,896 total)
999. The War Room – $29,274 ($41,131 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)
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Nightmare Before Christmas: Visual Effects
• The Remains of the Day: Picture, Director, Anthony Hopkins, Actress (Emma Thompson), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design
• The War Room: Documentary Feature

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 4-6, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

4. The Accused – $2,637,635 ($17,923,172 total) {week 4}
9. Gorillas in the Mist – $1,373,140 ($19,783,055 total) {week 7}
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $85,594 ($7,955,809 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. The Accused – $5,095,577 ($34,625,301 total)
9. Gorillas in the Mist – $2,652,733 ($38,218,359 total)
999. The Last Temptation of Christ – $165,357 ($15,369,616 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Accused: Actress (Jodie Foster) [O]
• 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. 11-13, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

1. The Big Chill – $2,929,243 ($29,078,324 total) {week 7}
7. The Right Stuff – $1,373,154 ($7,572,268 total) {week 4}
8. Educating Rita – $1,223,070 ($5,163,104 total) {week 8}
9. Nevery Cry Wolf – $1,116,437 ($7,909,790 total) {week 6}
999. Return of the Jedi – $386,618 ($243,109,157 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. The Big Chill – $7,383,552 ($73,295,839 total)
7. The Right Stuff – $3,461,220 ($19,086,923 total)
8. Educating Rita – $3,082,913 ($13,014,300 total)
9. Nevery Cry Wolf – $2,814,130 ($19,937,693 total)
999. Return of the Jedi – $974,523 ($612,789,431 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Big Chill: Picture, Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Screenplay
• Educating Rita: Actor (Michael Caine), Actress (Julie Walters), Adapted Screenplay
• Nevery Cry Wolf: Sound
• 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]