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

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects.

American Hustle (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actor (Christian Bale), Actress (Amy Adams), Supporting Actor (Bradley Cooper), Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling.

Saving Mr. Banks (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture, Director, Actress (Emma Thompson), Supporting Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Mixing.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 12-14, 2008

Weekend Box Office:

4. Bolt – $7,464,282 ($88,849,005 total) {week 4}
5. Australia – $4,169,277 ($37,767,253 total) {week 3}
9. Milk – $2,598,638 ($7,590,976 total) {week 3}
11. Slumdog Millionaire – $2,175,518 ($8,048,764 total) {week 5}
17. Frost/Nixon – $626,377 ($873,836 total) {week 2}
19. Doubt – $507,226 ($507,226 total) {week 1}
21. Changeling – $256,840 ($35,161,607 total) {week 8}
22. Rachel Getting Married – $221,323 ($9,560,874 total) {week 11}
25. The Reader – $168,051 ($179,970 total) {week 1}
28. The Dark Knight – $112,253 ($530,723,626 total) {week 22}
33. Happy-Go-Lucky – $86,872 ($3,014,482 total) {week 10}
42. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $40,479 ($22,565,132 total) {week 18}
45. WALL-E – $30,820 ($223,749,872 total) {week 25}
65. Frozen River – $8,951 ($2,303,266 total) {week 20}
69. Man on Wire – $5,827 ($2,904,701 total) {week 21}
83. Trouble the Water – $2,561 ($484,046 total) {week 17}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Bolt – $8,254,373 ($98,253,635 total)
5. Australia – $4,610,593 ($41,764,901 total)
9. Milk – $2,873,703 ($8,394,478 total)
11. Slumdog Millionaire – $2,405,796 ($8,900,722 total)
17. Frost/Nixon – $692,679 ($966,331 total)
19. Doubt – $560,916 ($560,916 total)
21. Changeling – $284,026 ($38,883,448 total)
22. Rachel Getting Married – $244,750 ($10,572,889 total)
25. The Reader – $185,839 ($199,020 total)
28. The Dark Knight – $124,135 ($586,900,500 total)
33. Happy-Go-Lucky – $96,067 ($3,333,564 total)
42. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – $44,764 ($24,953,642 total)
45. WALL-E – $34,082 ($247,433,702 total)
65. Frozen River – $9,898 ($2,547,066 total)
69. Man on Wire – $6,444 ($3,212,162 total)
83. Trouble the Water – $2,832 ($535,282 total)

Oscar Details:

• Australia: Costume Design
• Bolt: Animated Feature
• 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
• Doubt: Actress (Meryl Streep), Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), Supporting Actress (Viola Davis), Adapted Screenplay
• Frost/Nixon: Picture, Director, Actor (Frank Langella), Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• Frozen River: Actress (Melissa Leo), Original Screenplay
• Happy-Go-Lucky: Original Screenplay
• Man on Wire: Documentary Feature [O]
• Milk: Picture, Director, Actor (Sean Penn) [O], Supporting Actor (Josh Brolin), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Costume Design
• Rachel Getting Married: Actress (Anne Hathaway)
• The Reader: Picture, Director, Actress (Kate Winslet) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography
• Slumdog Millionaire: Picture [O], Director [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Song (“Jai Ho”) [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing
• 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 Dec. 12-14, 2003

Weekend Box Office:

1. Something’s Gotta Give – $16,064,723 ($16,064,723 total) {week 1}
2. The Last Samurai – $14,087,074 ($46,874,330 total) {week 2}
11. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $2,381,479 ($76,192,090 total) {week 5}
17. Brother Bear – $655,405 ($80,460,136 total) {week 8}
18. Mystic River – $397,403 ($52,526,351 total) {week 10}
19. 21 Grams – $322,069 ($2,906,214 total) {week 4}
20. In America – $275,435 ($803,254 total) {week 3}
23. Lost in Translation – $217,008 ($29,648,743 total) {week 14}
24. Big Fish – $207,377 ($281,795 total) {week 1}
32. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $89,472 ($89,472 total) {week 1}
35. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $84,836 ($305,267,970 total) {week 23}
40. Pieces of April – $71,030 ($2,235,467 total) {week 9}
46. The Cooler – $45,419 ($372,020 total) {week 3}
47. The Triplets of Belleville – $44,805 ($305,219 total) {week 3}
61. My Architect – $22,830 ($250,718 total) {week 5}
73. City of God – $10,168 ($4,765,728 total) {week 48}
76. Dirty Pretty Things – $9,426 ($8,050,039 total) {week 22}
84. Winged Migration – $5,286 ($10,762,178 total) {week 35}
97. Thirteen – $2,733 ($4,599,680 total) {week 17}
98. The Weather Underground – $2,510 ($491,309 total) {week 28}
113. Finding Nemo – $1,156 ($339,714,367 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Something’s Gotta Give – $21,153,217 ($21,153,217 total)
2. The Last Samurai – $18,549,149 ($61,721,755 total)
11. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – $3,135,811 ($100,325,903 total)
17. Brother Bear – $863,004 ($105,945,851 total)
18. Mystic River – $523,280 ($69,164,051 total)
19. 21 Grams – $424,084 ($3,826,756 total)
20. In America – $362,679 ($1,057,684 total)
23. Lost in Translation – $285,745 ($39,039,970 total)
24. Big Fish – $273,064 ($371,053 total)
32. Girl with a Pearl Earring – $117,812 ($117,812 total)
35. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $111,708 ($401,961,473 total)
40. Pieces of April – $93,529 ($2,943,550 total)
46. The Cooler – $59,805 ($489,857 total)
47. The Triplets of Belleville – $58,997 ($401,897 total)
61. My Architect – $30,061 ($330,133 total)
73. City of God – $13,389 ($6,275,270 total)
76. Dirty Pretty Things – $12,412 ($10,599,886 total)
84. Winged Migration – $6,960 ($14,171,093 total)
97. Thirteen – $3,599 ($6,056,627 total)
98. The Weather Underground – $3,305 ($646,931 total)
113. Finding Nemo – $1,522 ($447,318,752 total)

Oscar Details:

• 21 Grams: Actress (Naomi Watts), Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro)
• Big Fish: Original Score
• Brother Bear: Animated Feature
• City of God: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
• The Cooler: Supporting Actor (Alec Baldwin)
• Dirty Pretty Things: Original Screenplay
• Finding Nemo: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Editing
• Girl with a Pearl Earring: Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design
• In America: Supporting Actress (Samantha Morton), Supporting Actor (Djimon Hounsou), Original Screenplay
• The Last Samurai: Supporting Actor (Ken Watanabe), Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
• 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
• Something’s Gotta Give: Actress (Diane Keaton)
• Thirteen: Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter)
• The Triplets of Belleville: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Belleville Rendez-vous”)
• The Weather Underground: Documentary Feature
• Winged Migration: Documentary Feature

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 11-13, 1998

Weekend Box Office:

2. A Bug’s Life – $11,193,675 ($83,487,470 total) {week 4}
9. Babe: Pig in the City – $1,655,380 ($13,620,050 total) {week 3}
10. Elizabeth – $1,305,152 ($11,742,664 total) {week 6}
999. Life Is Beautiful – $682,280 ($7,155,572 total) {week 8}
999. Shakespeare in Love – $224,012 ($224,012 total) {week 1}
999. A Simple Plan – $390,563 ($390,563 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. A Bug’s Life – $18,950,486 ($141,341,261 total)
9. Babe: Pig in the City – $2,802,498 ($23,058,251 total)
10. Elizabeth – $2,209,575 ($19,879,905 total)
999. Life Is Beautiful – $1,155,075 ($12,114,124 total)
999. Shakespeare in Love – $379,244 ($379,244 total)
999. A Simple Plan – $661,209 ($661,209 total)

Oscar Details:

• Babe: Pig in the City: Original Song (“That’ll Do”)
• A Bug’s Life: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Elizabeth: Picture, Actress (Cate Blanchett), Original Dramatic Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup
• Life Is Beautiful: Picture, Director, Actor (Roberto Benigni) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O], Editing, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Shakespeare in Love: Picture [O], Director, Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow) [O], Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Supporting Actress (Judi Dench) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Musical or Comedy Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
• A Simple Plan: Supporting Actor (Billy Bob Thornton), Adapted Screenplay

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 10-12, 1993

Weekend Box Office:

2. Mrs. Doubtfire – $10,158,307 ($60,558,835 total) {week 3}
4. Geronimo: An American Legend – $4,018,452 ($4,018,452 total) {week 1}
7. Addams Family Values – $1,890,395 ($39,034,278 total) {week 4}
9. The Piano – $1,288,622 ($9,206,027 total) {week 5}
11. Jurassic Park – $744,480 ($335,879,115 total) {week 27}
12. The Remains of the Day – $717,665 ($13,602,437 total) {week 6}
999. Six Degrees of Separation – $53,058 ($53,058 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Mrs. Doubtfire – $19,482,357 ($116,144,239 total)
4. Geronimo: An American Legend – $7,706,886 ($7,706,886 total)
7. Addams Family Values – $3,625,540 ($74,862,842 total)
9. The Piano – $2,471,415 ($17,656,003 total)
11. Jurassic Park – $1,427,819 ($644,173,955 total)
12. The Remains of the Day – $1,376,391 ($26,087,766 total)
999. Six Degrees of Separation – $101,759 ($101,759 total)

Oscar Details:

• Addams Family Values: Art Direction
• Geronimo: An American Legend: Sound
• Jurassic Park: Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Mrs. Doubtfire: Makeup [O]
• 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
• Six Degrees of Separation: Actress (Stockard Channing)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 9-11, 1988

Weekend Box Office:

3. Scrooged – $4,671,536 ($35,926,047 total) {week 3}
4. Tequila Sunrise – $4,033,923 ($12,457,728 total) {week 2}
11. The Accused – $382,942 ($28,356,474 total) {week 9}
999. Mississippi Burning – $225,034 ($225,034 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Scrooged – $9,024,817 ($69,404,577 total)
4. Tequila Sunrise – $7,793,029 ($24,066,754 total)
11. The Accused – $739,795 ($54,781,120 total)
999. Mississippi Burning – $434,737 ($434,737 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Accused: Actress (Jodie Foster) [O]
• Mississippi Burning: Picture, Director, Actor (Gene Hackman), Supporting Actress (Frances McDormand), Editing, Cinematography [O], Sound
• Scrooged: Makeup
• Tequila Sunrise: Cinematography

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 16-18, 1983

Weekend Box Office:

3. Terms of Endearment – $3,451,389 ($19,498,971 total) {week 4}
6. Yentl – $2,184,771 ($8,068,933 total) {week 5}
12. Silkwood – $1,218,322 ($1,218,322 total) {week 1}
14. To Be or Not to Be – $1,020,958 ($1,020,958 total) {week 1}
999. Return of the Jedi – $188,698 ($244,816,955 total) {week 30}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Terms of Endearment – $8,699,692 ($49,149,787 total)
6. Yentl – $5,507,010 ($20,338,834 total)
12. Silkwood – $3,070,945 ($3,070,945 total)
14. To Be or Not to Be – $2,573,462 ($2,573,462 total)
999. Return of the Jedi – $475,639 ($617,094,166 total)

Oscar Details:

• Return of the Jedi: Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
• Silkwood: Directing, Actress (Meryl Streep), Supporting Actress (Cher), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Terms of Endearment: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actress (Shirley MacLaine) [O], Actress (Debra Winger), Supporting Actor (John Lithgow), Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Art Direction, Sound
• To Be or Not to Be: Supporting Actor (Charles Durning)
• Yentl: Supporting Actress (Amy Irving), Original Song (“Papa, Can You Hear Me?”), Original Song (“The Way He Makes Me Feel”), Original Song Score [O], Art Direction