Every week, we’ll take a look back in 5-year intervals in the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office that 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 chance 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

None

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Apr. 23-25, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

1. How to Train Your Dragon – $15,350,213 ($178,345,927 total) {week 5}
10. Alice in Wonderland – $2,264,097 ($327,537,023 total) {week 8}
15. Avatar – $920,204 ($746,365,137 total) {week 19}
19. The Secret in Their Eyes – $360,056 ($592,864 total) {week 2}
29. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $146,919 ($389,226 total) {week 2}
34. Crazy Heart – $104,305 ($39,225,262 total) {week 19}
43. A Prophet – $56,139 ($1,896,780 total) {week 9}
48. The Last Station – $39,273 ($6,497,569 total) {week 15}
49. The Blind Side – $31,948 ($255,899,261 total) {week 23}
50. The Secret of Kells – $30,056 ($364,836 total) {week 8}
53. Sherlock Holmes – $23,660 ($209,019,489 total) {week 18}
59. The Young Victoria – $17,975 ($10,991,381 total) {week 19}
61. The White Ribbon – $17,378 ($2,186,486 total) {week 17}
63. Ajami – $16,232 ($533,959 total) {week 12}
65. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $13,916 ($392,749 total) {week 13}
79. The Messenger – $6,489 ($1,093,047 total) {week 24}
80. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $5,914 ($7,673,525 total) {week 18}
91. A Single Man – $3,700 ($9,176,000 total) {week 20}
110. An Education – $583 ($12,571,643 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. How to Train Your Dragon – $15,894,961 ($184,675,060 total)
10. Alice in Wonderland – $2,344,445 ($339,160,644 total)
15. Avatar – $952,860 ($772,852,113 total)
19. The Secret in Their Eyes – $372,834 ($613,904 total)
29. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $152,133 ($403,039 total)
34. Crazy Heart – $108,007 ($40,617,287 total)
43. A Prophet – $58,131 ($1,964,093 total)
48. The Last Station – $40,667 ($6,728,154 total)
49. The Blind Side – $33,082 ($264,980,604 total)
50. The Secret of Kells – $31,123 ($377,783 total)
53. Sherlock Holmes – $24,500 ($216,437,164 total)
59. The Young Victoria – $18,613 ($11,381,443 total)
61. The White Ribbon – $17,995 ($2,264,080 total)
63. Ajami – $16,808 ($552,908 total)
65. The Most Dangerous Man in America – $14,410 ($406,687 total)
79. The Messenger – $6,719 ($1,131,837 total)
80. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $6,124 ($7,945,843 total)
91. A Single Man – $3,831 ($9,501,638 total)
110. An Education – $604 ($13,017,785 total)

Oscar Details:

• Ajami: Foreign Language Film
• Alice in Wonderland: Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Visual Effects
• Avatar: Picture, Director, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• The Blind Side: Picture, Actress (Sandra Bullock) [O]
• Crazy Heart: Actor (Jeff Bridges) [O], Supporting Actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Original Song (“The Weary Kind”) [O]
• An Education: Picture, Actress (Carey Mulligan), Adapted Screenplay
• Exit Through the Gift Shop: Documentary Feature
• How to Train Your Dragon: Animated Feature, Original Score
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Art Direction, Costume Design
• The Last Station : Actress (Helen Mirren), Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer)
• The Messenger : Supporting Actor (Woody Harrelson), Original Screenplay
• The Most Dangerous Man in America : Documentary Feature
• A Prophet: Foreign Language Film
• The Secret in Their Eyes: Foreign Language Film
• The Secret of Kells : Animated Feature
• Sherlock Holmes: Original Score, Art Direction
• A Single Man: Actor (Colin Firth)
• The White Ribbon : Cinematography, Foreign Language Film
• The Young Victoria : Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Makeup

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Apr. 29-May 1, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

19. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $411,960 ($523,774 total) {week 2}
23. Downfall – $208,462 ($4,874,303 total) {week 11}
26. Million Dollar Baby – $174,793 ($99,527,252 total) {week 20}
36. The Aviator – $107,418 ($102,432,141 total) {week 20}
49. Born Into Brothels – $44,823 ($3,263,046 total) {week 17}
50. The Phantom of the Opera – $43,712 ($51,193,556 total) {week 19}
66. Sideways – $18,381 ($71,483,535 total) {week 28}
74. The Sea Inside – $13,182 ($2,021,101 total) {week 20}
76. The Chorus – $12,616 ($1,502,827 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

19. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $525,072 ($667,587 total)
23. Downfall – $265,700 ($6,212,645 total)
26. Million Dollar Baby – $222,786 ($126,854,547 total)
36. The Aviator – $136,912 ($130,557,035 total)
49. Born Into Brothels – $57,130 ($4,158,984 total)
50. The Phantom of the Opera – $55,714 ($65,249,821 total)
66. Sideways – $23,428 ($91,110,839 total)
74. The Sea Inside – $16,801 ($2,576,037 total)
76. The Chorus – $16,080 ($1,915,460 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Aviator: Picture, Director, Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Supporting Actor (Alan Alda), Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett) [O], Original Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Sound Mixing
• Born Into Brothels : Documentary Feature
• The Chorus: Original Song (“Look To Your Path”), Foreign Language Film
• Downfall : Foreign Language Film
• Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room: Documentary Feature
• Million Dollar Baby: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• The Phantom of the Opera : Original Song (“Learn To Be Lonely”), Cinematography, Art Direction
• The Sea Inside : Makeup, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Sideways: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Thomas Haden Church), Supporting Actress (Virginia Madsen), Adapted Screenplay [O]

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Apr. 28-30, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

1. U-571 – $12,203,655 ($38,111,145 total) {week 2}
9. Erin Brockovich – $3,622,105 ($112,873,260 total) {week 7}
19. American Beauty – $670,739 ($128,144,856 total) {week 33}
24. Toy Story 2 – $256,826 ($244,350,833 total) {week 24}
30. The Cider House Rules – $159,164 ($56,580,273 total) {week 21}
31. The Green Mile – $149,748 ($136,641,745 total) {week 21}
33. Bicentennial Man – $129,346 ($57,989,529 total) {week 20}
37. East-West – $116,790 ($438,053 total) {week 4}
42. The Sixth Sense – $84,118 ($293,414,160 total) {week 39}
45. Boys Don’t Cry – $68,053 ($11,425,402 total) {week 30}
47. All About My Mother – $63,943 ($7,766,964 total) {week 26}
49. Angela’s Ashes – $58,658 ($12,951,080 total) {week 19}
51. Girl, Interrupted – $57,144 ($28,871,190 total) {week 19}
53. Stuart Little – $52,587 ($140,015,224 total) {week 20}
60. Titus – $40,453 ($1,824,612 total) {week 19}
64. Sleepy Hollow – $29,226 ($101,042,661 total) {week 24}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. U-571 – $18,497,933 ($57,767,728 total)
9. Erin Brockovich – $5,490,278 ($171,089,895 total)
19. American Beauty – $1,016,686 ($194,238,121 total)
24. Toy Story 2 – $389,289 ($370,379,649 total)
30. The Cider House Rules – $241,256 ($85,762,677 total)
31. The Green Mile – $226,984 ($207,117,450 total)
33. Bicentennial Man – $196,059 ($87,898,785 total)
37. East-West – $177,027 ($663,988 total)
42. The Sixth Sense – $127,504 ($444,748,365 total)
45. Boys Don’t Cry – $103,153 ($17,318,281 total)
47. All About My Mother – $96,923 ($11,772,931 total)
49. Angela’s Ashes – $88,912 ($19,630,858 total)
51. Girl, Interrupted – $86,617 ($43,762,082 total)
53. Stuart Little – $79,710 ($212,230,868 total)
60. Titus – $61,317 ($2,765,692 total)
64. Sleepy Hollow – $44,300 ($153,157,429 total)

Oscar Details:

• All About My Mother: Foreign Language Film [O]
• American Beauty: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Actress (Annette Bening), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography
• Angela’s Ashes: Original Score
• Bicentennial Man: Makeup
• Boys Don’t Cry: Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actress (Chloe Sevigny)
• The Cider House Rules : Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Michael Caine) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Art Direction
• East-West: Foreign Language Film
• Erin Brockovich: Picture, Directing, Actress (Julia Roberts) [O], Supporting Actor (Albert Finney), Original Screenplay
• Girl, Interrupted: Supporting Actress (Angelina Jolie)
• The Green Mile : Picture, Supporting Actor (Michael Clarke Duncan), Adapted Screenplay, Sound
• The Sixth Sense : Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment), Supporting Actress (Toni Collette), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Sleepy Hollow: Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design
• Stuart Little: Visual Effects
• Titus: Costume Design
• Toy Story 2: Original Song (“When She Loved Me”)
• U-571: Sound, Sound Editing [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Apr. 28-30, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

4. Rob Roy – $3,362,373 ($23,596,208 total) {week 4}
9. Don Juan DeMarco – $1,729,748 ($16,529,906 total) {week 4}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Rob Roy – $6,315,078 ($44,317,476 total)
9. Don Juan DeMarco – $3,248,745 ($31,045,823 total)

Oscar Details:

• Don Juan DeMarco: Original Song (“Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman”)
• Rob Roy: Supporting Actor (Tim Roth)

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Apr. 27-29, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Pretty Woman – $7,150,551 ($81,325,487 total) {week 6}
5. The Hunt for Red October – $2,983,934 ($99,097,627 total) {week 9}
8. Driving Miss Daisy – $1,630,821 ($96,111,623 total) {week 20}
999. Cinema Paradiso – $322,018 ($3,163,969 total) {week 13}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Pretty Woman – $13,810,875 ($157,075,468 total)
5. The Hunt for Red October – $5,763,296 ($191,401,327 total)
8. Driving Miss Daisy – $3,149,836 ($185,634,033 total)
999. Cinema Paradiso – $621,959 ($6,111,023 total)

Oscar Details:

• Cinema Paradiso: Foreign Language Film
• Driving Miss Daisy: Picture [O], Actor (Morgan Freeman), Actress (Jessica Tandy) [O], Supporting Actor (Dan Aykroyd), Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup [O]
• The Hunt for Red October: Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Pretty Woman: Actress (Julia Roberts)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Apr. 26-28, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

5. Mask – $2,121,280 ($32,873,263 total) {week 8}
6. Ladyhawke – $2,077,075 ($10,643,055 total) {week 3}
8. Beverly Hills Cop – $1,789,313 ($208,309,025 total) {week 21}
10. Witness – $1,170,790 ($56,143,219 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Mask – $4,881,932 ($75,654,805 total)
6. Ladyhawke – $4,780,198 ($24,494,017 total)
8. Beverly Hills Cop – $4,117,940 ($479,404,150 total)
10. Witness – $2,694,466 ($129,208,479 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beverly Hills Cop: Original Screenplay
• Ladyhawke: Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• Mask: Makeup [O]
• Witness: Picture, Directing, Actor (Harrison Ford), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing [O], Art Direction