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

Nebraska (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director (Alexander Payne), Actor (Bruce Dern), Supporting Actor (Will Forte), Supporting Actress (June Squibb), Original Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 14-16, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

5. Changeling – $4,254,080 ($27,631,772 total) {week 4}
14. Rachel Getting Married – $1,051,365 ($6,945,965 total) {week 7}
18. The Dark Knight – $502,334 ($529,143,070 total) {week 18}
23. Happy-Go-Lucky – $370,651 ($1,760,854 total) {week 6}
24. Slumdog Millionaire – $360,018 ($427,715 total) {week 1}
27. The Duchess – $236,779 ($13,445,348 total) {week 9}
31. WALL-E – $192,392 ($223,280,427 total) {week 21}
43. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $55,950 ($22,345,826 total) {week 14}
58. Man on Wire – $16,953 ($2,839,724 total) {week 17}
61. Frozen River – $15,562 ($2,261,468 total) {week 16}
82. Trouble the Water – $4,806 ($460,102 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Changeling – $4,704,373 ($30,556,584 total)
14. Rachel Getting Married – $1,162,652 ($7,681,192 total)
18. The Dark Knight – $555,506 ($585,152,643 total)
23. Happy-Go-Lucky – $409,884 ($1,947,240 total)
24. Slumdog Millionaire – $398,126 ($472,988 total)
27. The Duchess – $261,842 ($14,868,532 total)
31. WALL-E – $212,757 ($246,914,567 total)
43. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $61,872 ($24,711,122 total)
58. Man on Wire – $18,747 ($3,140,308 total)
61. Frozen River – $17,209 ($2,500,843 total)
82. Trouble the Water – $5,315 ($508,804 total)

Oscar Details:

Visual Effects: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Visual Effects: Death Becomes Her
Visual Effects: Jurassic Park
Visual Effects: Forrest Gump
Visual Effects: Babe
Visual Effects: Independence Day
Visual Effects: Titanic
Visual Effects: What Dreams May Come
Visual Effects: The Matrix
Visual Effects: Gladiator
Visual Effects: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Visual Effects: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Visual Effects: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Visual Effects: Spider-Man 2
Visual Effects: King Kong
Visual Effects: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
Visual Effects: The Golden Compass
Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Visual Effects: Avatar
Visual Effects: Inception
Visual Effects: Hugo
Visual Effects: Life of Pi

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 14-16, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

2. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $25,105,990 ($25,105,990 total) {week 1}
4. Brother Bear – $12,056,067 ($63,057,769 total) {week 4}
10. Mystic River – $3,244,465 ($45,568,765 total) {week 6}
15. Lost in Translation – $706,284 ($27,310,371 total) {week 10}
16. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $604,338 ($303,581,609 total) {week 19}
24. Pieces of April – $247,652 ($1,244,366 total) {week 5}
31. Seabiscuit – $104,385 ($119,912,875 total) {week 17}
32. Finding Nemo – $103,796 ($339,590,785 total) {week 25}
44. American Splendor – $39,250 ($5,918,942 total) {week 14}
45. My Architect – $37,929 ($50,504 total) {week 1}
59. Winged Migration – $20,687 ($10,692,190 total) {week 31}
63. Dirty Pretty Things – $16,402 ($7,980,378 total) {week 18}
73. Whale Rider – $13,319 ($20,759,517 total) {week 24}
78. City of God – $9,053 ($4,714,214 total) {week 44}
84. Thirteen – $7,616 ($4,568,251 total) {week 13}
93. The Weather Underground – $3,545 ($469,420 total) {week 24}
113. Spellbound – $1,230 ($5,722,872 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $33,058,302 ($33,058,302 total)
4. Brother Bear – $15,874,821 ($83,031,291 total)
10. Mystic River – $4,272,148 ($60,002,652 total)
15. Lost in Translation – $929,999 ($35,960,920 total)
16. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $795,762 ($399,740,958 total)
24. Pieces of April – $326,096 ($1,638,518 total)
31. Seabiscuit – $137,449 ($157,895,228 total)
32. Finding Nemo – $136,673 ($447,156,025 total)
44. American Splendor – $51,682 ($7,793,764 total)
45. My Architect – $49,943 ($66,501 total)
59. Winged Migration – $27,240 ($14,078,937 total)
63. Dirty Pretty Things – $21,597 ($10,508,159 total)
73. Whale Rider – $17,538 ($27,335,085 total)
78. City of God – $11,921 ($6,207,439 total)
84. Thirteen – $10,028 ($6,015,243 total)
93. The Weather Underground – $4,668 ($618,109 total)
113. Spellbound – $1,620 ($7,535,589 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]
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World: Picture, Director, Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• My Architect: Documentary Feature
• 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. 13-15, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

7. Pleasantville – $3,675,133 ($31,647,228 total) {week 4}
14. Life Is Beautiful – $852,187 ($2,933,305 total) {week 4}
999. American History X – $232,374 ($748,245 total) {week 3}
999. Elizabeth – $342,702 ($760,604 total) {week 2}
999. Gods and Monsters – $65,478 ($201,306 total) {week 2}
999. Saving Private Ryan – $9,613 ($190,649,028 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. Pleasantville – $6,221,867 ($53,577,610 total)
14. Life Is Beautiful – $1,442,722 ($4,965,979 total)
999. American History X – $393,401 ($1,266,752 total)
999. Elizabeth – $580,182 ($1,287,675 total)
999. Gods and Monsters – $110,852 ($340,804 total)
999. Saving Private Ryan – $16,274 ($322,761,894 total)

Oscar Details:

• American History X: Actor (Edward Norton)
• 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]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 12-14, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

4. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $5,470,410 ($34,527,948 total) {week 5}
11. The Remains of the Day – $1,775,890 ($4,003,813 total) {week 2}
15. Fearless – $970,549 ($5,542,761 total) {week 5}
999. Jurassic Park – $311,645 ($330,422,595 total) {week 23}
999. The Piano – $151,419 ($151,419 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. The Nightmare Before Christmas – $10,491,559 ($66,220,267 total)
11. The Remains of the Day – $3,405,934 ($7,678,810 total)
15. Fearless – $1,861,391 ($10,630,319 total)
999. Jurassic Park – $597,696 ($633,709,035 total)
999. The Piano – $290,403 ($290,403 total)

Oscar Details:

• Fearless: Supporting Actress (Rosie Perez)
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Nightmare Before Christmas: Visual Effects
• The Piano: Picture, Director, Actress (Holly Hunter) [O], Supporting Actress (Anna Paquin) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Editing, Cinematography, Costume Design
• The Remains of the Day: Picture, Director, Anthony Hopkins, Actress (Emma Thompson), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 11-13, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

6. The Accused – $2,412,648 ($21,347,937 total) {week 5}
8. A Cry in the Dark – $1,561,793 ($1,561,793 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. The Accused – $4,660,931 ($41,241,513 total)
8. A Cry in the Dark – $3,017,186 ($3,017,186 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Accused: Actress (Jodie Foster) [O]
• A Cry in the Dark: Actress (Meryl Streep)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Nov. 18-20, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

2. The Big Chill – $2,204,754 ($31,869,358 total) {week 8}
11. The Right Stuff – $927,452 ($8,793,624 total) {week 5}
13. Educating Rita – $853,385 ($6,331,225 total) {week 9}
999. Return of the Jedi – $259,244 ($243,457,864 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. The Big Chill – $5,557,380 ($80,331,017 total)
11. The Right Stuff – $2,337,768 ($22,165,516 total)
13. Educating Rita – $2,151,072 ($15,958,707 total)
999. Return of the Jedi – $653,459 ($613,668,394 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]