Oscar in Box Office History (Week 51, 2016)

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

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Wide)

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

Fences (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Picture Director, Actor (Denzel Washington), Supporting Actress (Viola Davis), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Film Editing, Production Design, Costume Design.

Neruda (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Foreign Language Film.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 23-25, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – $12,768,604 ($21,145,077 total) {week 1}
The Adventures of Tintin – $9,720,993 ($17,729,016 total) {week 1}
War Horse – $7,515,402 ($7,515,402 total) {week 1}
The Muppets – $2,145,762 ($75,702,287 total) {week 5}
Hugo – $2,131,828 ($43,759,097 total) {week 5}
The Descendants – $2,073,371 ($32,364,923 total) {week 6}
The Artist – $883,063 ($2,381,493 total) {week 5}
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – $717,459 ($1,819,041 total) {week 3}
My Week with Marilyn – $561,097 ($6,980,293 total) {week 5}
Puss in Boots – $410,577 ($143,661,774 total) {week 9}
Real Steel – $136,939 ($83,962,784 total) {week 12}
Moneyball – $114,352 ($74,505,789 total) {week 14}
Drive – $11,879 ($34,787,204 total) {week 15}
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close – $72,348 ($72,348 total) {week 1}
The Help – $19,974 ($169,410,752 total) {week 20}
The Ides of March – $44,098 ($40,647,231 total) {week 12}
Margin Call – $20,911 ($5,186,092 total) {week 10}
Midnight in Paris – $11,450 ($56,334,396 total) {week 32}
Pina – $68,012 ($68,012 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – $13,155,043 ($21,785,029 total)
The Adventures of Tintin – $10,015,197 ($18,265,581 total)
War Horse – $7,742,854 ($7,742,854 total)
The Muppets – $2,210,703 ($77,993,403 total)
Hugo – $2,196,347 ($45,083,458 total)
The Descendants – $2,136,121 ($33,344,441 total)
The Artist – $909,789 ($2,453,568 total)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – $739,173 ($1,874,094 total)
My Week with Marilyn – $578,078 ($7,191,550 total)
Puss in Boots – $423,003 ($148,009,671 total)
Real Steel – $141,083 ($86,503,902 total)
Moneyball – $117,813 ($76,760,693 total)
Drive – $12,239 ($35,840,032 total)
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close – $74,538 ($74,538 total)
The Help – $20,579 ($174,537,937 total)
The Ides of March – $45,433 ($41,877,412 total)
Margin Call – $21,544 ($5,343,048 total)
Midnight in Paris – $11,797 ($58,039,346 total)
Pina – $70,070 ($70,070 total)

Oscar Details:

The Adventures of Tintin: Original Score
The Artist: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Jean Dujardin) [O], Supporting Actress (Bérénice Bejo), Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Film Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
The Descendants: Picture, Directing, Actor (George Clooney), Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing
Drive: Sound Editing
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close: Picture, Supporting Actor (Max von Sydow)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Actress (Rooney Mara), Film Editing [O], Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
The Help: Picture, Actress (Viola Davis), Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer [O])
Hugo: Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
The Ides of March: Adapted Screenplay
Margin Call: Original Screenplay
Midnight in Paris: Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay [O], Art Direction
Moneyball: Picture, Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Mixing
The Muppets: Original Song (“Man or Muppet”)
My Week with Marilyn: Actress (Michelle Williams), Supporting Actor (Kenneth Branagh)
Pina: Documentary Feature
Puss in Boots: Animated Feature
Real Steel: Visual Effects
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: Actor (Gary Oldman), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score
War Horse: Picture, Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 22-24, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

The Pursuit of Happyness – $14,817,371 ($53,104,266 total) {week 2}
The Good Shepherd – $9,912,110 ($9,912,110 total) {week 1}
Happy Feet – $5,163,474 ($159,119,637 total) {week 6}
Blood Diamond – $3,126,379 ($25,129,129 total) {week 3}
Apocalypto – $2,868,725 ($34,592,881 total) {week 3}
Borat – $619,066 ($34,104,717 total) {week 8}
The Curse of the Golden Flower – $478,771 ($492,915 total) {week 1}
Volver – $453,880 ($3,478,836 total) {week 8}
The Queen – $428,280 ($26,465,979 total) {week 13}
Babel – $312,218 ($18,874,554 total) {week 9}
Dreamgirls – $227,639 ($851,664 total) {week 2}
The Departed – $219,428 ($119,700,906 total) {week 12}
The Good German – $95,539 ($214,117 total) {week 2}
Children of Men – $179,268 ($179,268 total) {week 1}
The Prestige – $91,110 ($52,158,629 total) {week 10}
Letters from Iwo Jima – $89,097 ($128,842 total) {week 1}
Little Children – $135,569 ($2,214,538 total) {week 12}
Venus – $35,604 ($41,367 total) {week 1}
Little Miss Sunshine – $34,962 ($59,393,704 total) {week 22}
The Last King of Scotland – $16,567 ($3,570,170 total) {week 13}
The Illusionist – $15,491 ($39,718,561 total) {week 19}
Jesus Camp – $5,114 ($865,368 total) {week 15}
Notes on a Scandal – $6,117 ($6,117 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

The Pursuit of Happyness – $18,482,125 ($66,238,451 total)
The Good Shepherd – $12,363,655 ($12,363,655 total)
Happy Feet – $6,440,547 ($198,474,417 total)
Blood Diamond – $3,899,621 ($31,344,272 total)
Apocalypto – $3,578,242 ($43,148,678 total)
Borat – $772,179 ($42,539,777 total)
The Curse of the Golden Flower – $597,185 ($614,827 total)
Volver – $566,137 ($4,339,250 total)
The Queen – $534,206 ($33,011,763 total)
Babel – $389,438 ($23,542,764 total)
Dreamgirls – $283,941 ($1,062,305 total)
The Departed – $273,699 ($149,306,321 total)
The Good German – $119,168 ($267,074 total)
Children of Men – $223,606 ($223,606 total)
The Prestige – $113,644 ($65,058,931 total)
Letters from Iwo Jima – $111,133 ($160,708 total)
Little Children – $169,099 ($2,762,256 total)
Venus – $44,410 ($51,598 total)
Little Miss Sunshine – $43,609 ($74,083,445 total)
The Last King of Scotland – $20,664 ($4,453,174 total)
The Illusionist – $19,322 ($49,542,083 total)
Jesus Camp – $6,379 ($1,079,398 total)
Notes on a Scandal – $7,630 ($7,630 total)

Oscar Details:

Apocalypto: Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
Babel: Picture, Supporting Actress (Adriana Barraza, Rinko Kikuchi), Director, Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing
Blood Diamond: Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Supporting Actor (Djimon Hounsou), Editing, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
Borat: Adapted Screenplay
Children of Men: Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography
The Curse of the Golden Flower: Costume Design
The Departed: Picture [O], Director [O], Supporting Actor (Mark Wahlberg), Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing
Dreamgirls: Supporting Actor (Eddie Murphy), Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson) [O], Original Song (“Listen”, “Love You I Do”, “Patience”), Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound [O]
The Good German: Original Score
The Good Shepherd: Art Direction
Happy Feet: Animated Feature [O]
The Illusionist: Cinematography
Jesus Camp: Documentary Feature
The Last King of Scotland: Actor (Forest Whitaker [O])
Letters from Iwo Jima: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Sound Editing [O]
Little Children: Actress (Kate Winslet), Supporting Actor (Jackie Earle Haley), Adapted Screenplay
Little Miss Sunshine: Picture, Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin [O]), Supporting Actress (Abigail Breslin), Original Screenplay [O]
Notes on a Scandal: Actress (Judi Dench), Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score
The Prestige: Cinematography, Art Direction
The Pursuit of Happyness: Actor (Will Smith)
The Queen: Picture, Director, Actress (Helen Mirren [O]), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Costume Design
Venus: Actor (Peter O’Toole)
Volver: Actress (Penelope Cruz)

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 21-23, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – $47,211,490 ($75,129,468 total) {week 1}
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius – $13,832,786 ($13,832,786 total) {week 1}
Vanilla Sky – $12,076,661 ($45,081,570 total) {week 1}
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – $7,092,906 ($264,095,956 total) {week 6}
Monsters, Inc. – $3,801,516 ($224,450,540 total) {week 8}
The Royal Tenenbaums – $1,268,860 ($1,759,964 total) {week 2}
Amelie – $770,897 ($13,709,091 total) {week 8}
A Beautiful Mind – $367,151 ($367,151 total) {week 1}
The Man Who Wasn’t There – $167,989 ($6,612,989 total) {week 8}
In the Bedroom – $83,227 ($610,838 total) {week 5}
Training Day – $71,321 ($76,261,036 total) {week 12}
Mulholland Drive – $64,485 ($5,475,358 total) {week 11}
No Man’s Land – $43,301 ($106,961 total) {week 3}
Moulin Rouge! – $9,627 ($57,008,064 total) {week 32}
Divided We Fall – $8,703 ($1,332,586 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – $68,148,034 ($108,446,600 total)
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius – $19,967,113 ($19,967,113 total)
Vanilla Sky – $17,432,212 ($65,073,574 total)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – $10,238,347 ($381,212,714 total)
Monsters, Inc. – $5,487,347 ($323,986,027 total)
The Royal Tenenbaums – $1,831,552 ($2,540,443 total)
Amelie – $1,112,761 ($19,788,564 total)
A Beautiful Mind – $529,969 ($529,969 total)
The Man Who Wasn’t There – $242,486 ($9,545,604 total)
In the Bedroom – $120,135 ($881,722 total)
Training Day – $102,949 ($110,079,976 total)
Mulholland Drive – $93,082 ($7,903,476 total)
No Man’s Land – $62,503 ($154,394 total)
Moulin Rouge! – $13,896 ($82,289,025 total)
Divided We Fall – $12,562 ($1,923,538 total)

Oscar Details:

Amelie: Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Foreign Language Film
A Beautiful Mind: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Russell Crowe), Supporting Actress (Jennifer Connelly) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Makeup
Divided We Fall: Foreign Language Film
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design
In the Bedroom: Picture, Actor (Tom Wilkinson), Actress (Sissy Spacek), Supporting Actress (Marisa Tomei), Adapted Screenplay
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius: Animated Feature
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Ian McKellen), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score [O], Original Song (“May It Be”), Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound, Visual Effects [O]
The Man Who Wasn’t There: Cinematography
Monsters, Inc.: Animated Feature, Original Song (If I Didn’t Have You [O]), Original Score, Sound Editing
Moulin Rouge!: Picture, Actress (Nicole Kidman), Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
Mulholland Drive: Director
No Man’s Land: Foreign Language Film
The Royal Tenenbaums: Original Screenplay
Training Day: Actor (Denzel Washington [O]), Supporting Actor (Ethan Hawke)
Vanilla Sky: Original Song (“Vanilla Sky”)

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 20-22, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

Jerry Maguire – $13,125,660 ($36,287,093 total) {week 2}
One Fine Day – $6,226,430 ($6,226,430 total) {week 1}
The Preacher’s Wife – $5,182,161 ($15,290,167 total) {week 2}
Daylight – $2,437,750 ($20,398,315 total) {week 3}
Star Trek: First Contact – $2,306,509 ($80,389,431 total) {week 5}
The English Patient – $1,670,429 ($18,433,824 total) {week 6}
The Crucible – $641,569 ($962,496 total) {week 4}
Ghosts of Mississippi – $168,012 ($168,012 total) {week 1}
Independence Day – $5,244 ($306,143,214 total) {week 25}
Marvin’s Room – $57,739 ($73,279 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Jerry Maguire – $24,261,684 ($67,073,654 total)
One Fine Day – $11,509,035 ($11,509,035 total)
The Preacher’s Wife – $9,578,791 ($28,262,594 total)
Daylight – $4,505,977 ($37,704,578 total)
Star Trek: First Contact – $4,263,389 ($148,593,134 total)
The English Patient – $3,087,648 ($34,073,381 total)
The Crucible – $1,185,887 ($1,779,093 total)
Ghosts of Mississippi – $310,556 ($310,556 total)
Independence Day – $9,693 ($565,880,104 total)
Marvin’s Room – $106,726 ($135,450 total)

Oscar Details:

The Crucible: Supporting Actress (Joan Allen), Adapted Screenplay
Daylight: Sound Effects Editing
The English Patient: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Actress (Kristin Scott Thomas), Supporting Actress (Juliette Binoche [O]), Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Sound [O]
Ghosts of Mississippi: Supporting Actor (James Woods), Makeup
Independence Day: Sound, Visual Effects [O]
Jerry Maguire: Picture, Actor (Tom Cruise), Supporting Actor (Cuba Gooding Jr.) [O], Original Screenplay, Film Editing
Marvin’s Room: Actress (Diane Keaton)
One Fine Day: Original Song (“For the First Time”)
The Preacher’s Wife: Original Musical or Comedy Score
Star Trek: First Contact: Makeup

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 20-22, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

Hook – $9,638,615 ($30,729,815 total) {week 2}
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country – $5,452,793 ($38,312,961 total) {week 3}
JFK – $5,223,658 ($5,223,658 total) {week 1}
Beauty and the Beast – $4,863,315 ($46,047,138 total) {week 6}
Bugsy – $4,611,477 ($4,878,099 total) {week 2}
The Addams Family – $3,457,353 ($78,395,925 total) {week 5}
Cape Fear – $2,116,700 ($53,642,272 total) {week 6}
For the Boys – $695,924 ($13,264,432 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Hook – $18,704,866 ($59,634,819 total)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country – $10,581,786 ($74,350,806 total)
JFK – $10,137,123 ($10,137,123 total)
Beauty and the Beast – $9,437,835 ($89,359,885 total)
Bugsy – $8,949,113 ($9,466,525 total)
The Addams Family – $6,709,400 ($152,136,510 total)
Cape Fear – $4,107,705 ($104,099,136 total)
For the Boys – $1,350,522 ($25,741,190 total)

Oscar Details:

The Addams Family: Costume Design
Beauty and the Beast: Picture, Original Song (“Be Our Guest”, “Beauty and the Beast” [O], “Belle”), Original Score [O], Sound
Bugsy: Picture, Directing, Actor (Warren Beatty), Supporting Actor (Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O]
Cape Fear: Actor (Robert De Niro), Supporting Actress (Juliette Lewis)
For the Boys: Actress (Bette Midler)
Hook: Original Song (“When You’re Alone”), Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Visual Effects
JFK: Picture, Directing, Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones), Adapted Screnplay, Original Score, Film Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Sound
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country: Makeup, Visual Effects

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 19-21, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – $5,809,960 ($54,371,407 total) {week 4}
Little Shop of Horrors – $3,659,884 ($3,659,884 total) {week 1}
Heartbreak Ridge – $3,493,085 ($20,920,521 total) {week 3}
Crocodile Dundee – $2,282,721 ($106,024,183 total) {week 13}
An American Tail – $1,932,665 ($26,292,623 total) {week 5}
Crimes of the Heart – $1,692,851 ($3,667,731 total) {week 2}
The Color of Money – $404,195 ($43,327,567 total) {week 10}
Platoon – $241,080 ($241,080 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – $12,794,440 ($119,734,338 total)
Little Shop of Horrors – $8,059,637 ($8,059,637 total)
Heartbreak Ridge – $7,692,319 ($46,070,258 total)
Crocodile Dundee – $5,026,909 ($233,481,826 total)
An American Tail – $4,256,030 ($57,900,466 total)
Crimes of the Heart – $3,727,923 ($8,076,917 total)
The Color of Money – $890,101 ($95,414,076 total)
Platoon – $530,896 ($530,896 total)

Oscar Details:

An American Tail: Original Song (“Somewhere Out There”)
The Color of Money: Actor (Paul Newman [O]), Supporting Actress (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction
Crimes of the Heart: Actress (Sissy Spacek), Supporting Actress (Tess Harper), Adapted Screenplay
Crocodile Dundee: Original Screenplay
Heartbreak Ridge: Sound
Little Shop of Horrors: Original Song (“Mean Green Mother from Outer Space”), Visual Effects
Platoon: Picture [O], Director [O], Supporting Actor (Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe), Original Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography, Sound [O]
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home: Original Score, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Dec. 18-20, 1981

Weekend Box Office:

Heartbeeps – $407,464 ($407,464 total) {week 1}
On Golden Pond – $55,236 ($327,285 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Heartbeeps – $1,197,475 ($1,197,475 total)
On Golden Pond – $162,330 ($961,841 total)

Oscar Details:

Heartbeeps:
On Golden Pond: Picture, Director, Actor (Henry Fonda) [O], Actress (Katharine Hepburn) [O], Supporting Actress (Jane Fonda), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound