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

Tulip Fever (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Production Design, Costume Design.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 31-Sep. 2, 2012

Weekend Box Office:

5. ParaNorman – $6,572,820 ($38,052,006 total) {week 3}
13. Marvel’s The Avengers – $1,910,701 ($619,760,594 total) {week 18}
15. Brave – $1,427,002 ($231,801,179 total) {week 11}
20. Ted – $810,645 ($215,975,550 total) {week 10}
25. Beasts of the Southern Wild – $528,167 ($9,618,106 total) {week 10}
28. Moonrise Kingdom – $342,370 ($44,205,438 total) {week 15}
40. Searching for Sugar Man – $140,674 ($693,975 total) {week 6}
43. Snow White and the Huntsman – $104,390 ($155,081,785 total) {week 14}
57. Prometheus – $45,847 ($126,376,360 total) {week 13}
79. Monsieur Lazhar – $3,201 ($1,999,882 total) {week 21}
95. The Invisible War – $123 ($57,742 total) {week 11}
999. A Cat in Paris – $5,636 ($300,872 total) {week 14}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. ParaNorman – $6,746,224 ($39,055,891 total)
13. Marvel’s The Avengers – $1,961,109 ($636,111,062 total)
15. Brave – $1,464,649 ($237,916,537 total)
20. Ted – $832,031 ($221,673,397 total)
25. Beasts of the Southern Wild – $542,101 ($9,871,850 total)
28. Moonrise Kingdom – $351,402 ($45,371,662 total)
40. Searching for Sugar Man – $144,385 ($712,283 total)
43. Snow White and the Huntsman – $107,144 ($159,173,139 total)
57. Prometheus – $47,057 ($129,710,410 total)
79. Monsieur Lazhar – $3,285 ($2,052,643 total)
95. The Invisible War – $126 ($59,265 total)
999. A Cat in Paris – $5,785 ($308,810 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beasts of the Southern Wild: Picture, Directing, Actress (Quvenzhane Wallis), Adapted Screenplay
• Brave: Animated Feature [O]
• A Cat in Paris: Animated Feature
• The Invisible War: Documentary Feature
• Marvel’s The Avengers: Visual Effects
• Monsieur Lazhar: Foreign Language Film
• Moonrise Kingdom: Original Screenplay
• ParaNorman: Animated Feature
• Prometheus: Visual Effects
• Searching for Sugar Man: Documentary Feature [O]
• Snow White and the Huntsman: Costume Design
• Ted: Original Song (“Everybody Needs a Best Friend”)

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 31-Sep. 2, 2007

Weekend Box Office:

4. The Bourne Ultimatum – $10,412,835 ($199,832,950 total) {week 5}
18. Ratatouille – $1,201,679 ($200,776,098 total) {week 10}
20. Transformers – $1,148,698 ($310,182,848 total) {week 9}
28. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $302,301 ($308,591,973 total) {week 15}
31. Once – $296,225 ($8,016,014 total) {week 16}
35. No End in Sight – $171,101 ($835,023 total) {week 6}
40. Sicko – $117,820 ($24,086,154 total) {week 11}
43. La Vie en Rose – $109,319 ($9,589,774 total) {week 14}
86. The Lives of Others – $4,442 ($11,281,304 total) {week 30}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. The Bourne Ultimatum – $12,365,242 ($237,301,628 total)
18. Ratatouille – $1,426,994 ($238,421,616 total)
20. Transformers – $1,364,079 ($368,342,132 total)
28. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $358,982 ($366,452,968 total)
31. Once – $351,767 ($9,519,017 total)
35. No End in Sight – $203,182 ($991,590 total)
40. Sicko – $139,911 ($28,602,308 total)
43. La Vie en Rose – $129,816 ($11,387,857 total)
86. The Lives of Others – $5,275 ($13,396,549 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Bourne Ultimatum: Film Editing [O], Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O]
• The Lives of Others: Foreign Language Film
• No End in Sight: Documentary Feature
• Once: Original Song [O]
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End: Makeup, Visual Effects
• Ratatouille: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Sicko: Documentary Feature
• Transformers: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• La Vie en Rose: Actress (Marion Cotillard) [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O]

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 30-Sep. 1, 2002

Weekend Box Office:

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $11,100,764 ($78,848,210 total) {week 20}
10. Road to Perdition – $2,654,918 ($98,457,248 total) {week 8}
17. Lilo & Stitch – $1,127,953 ($141,536,614 total) {week 11}
23. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $473,431 ($300,556,038 total) {week 16}
25. Minority Report – $424,323 ($130,483,934 total) {week 11}
54. Monsters, Inc. – $23,361 ($255,792,174 total) {week 38}
63. Ice Age – $12,543 ($176,383,774 total) {week 25}
70. Son of the Bride – $9,211 ($584,632 total) {week 24}
86. Elling – $14,314 ($218,765 total) {week 14}
126. Promises – $1,678 ($207,388 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $15,609,852 ($110,876,054 total)
10. Road to Perdition – $3,733,336 ($138,450,209 total)
17. Lilo & Stitch – $1,586,123 ($199,028,251 total)
23. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – $665,737 ($422,640,763 total)
25. Minority Report – $596,681 ($183,486,014 total)
54. Monsters, Inc. – $32,850 ($359,693,987 total)
63. Ice Age – $17,638 ($248,030,195 total)
70. Son of the Bride – $12,952 ($822,107 total)
86. Elling – $20,128 ($307,627 total)
126. Promises – $2,360 ($291,628 total)

Oscar Details:

• Elling: Foreign Language Film
• Ice Age: Animated Feature
• Lilo & Stitch: Animated Feature
• Minority Report: Sound Editing
• Monsters, Inc.: Animated Feature, Original Song (If I Didn’t Have You [O]), Original Score, Sound Editing
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Original Screenplay
• Promises: Documentary Feature
• Road to Perdition: Supporting Actor (Paul Newman), Original Score, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound, Sound Editing
• Son of the Bride: Foreign Language Film
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones: Visual Effects

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 29-31, 1997

Weekend Box Office:

3. Air Force One – $8,520,110 ($154,240,266 total) {week 6}
10. Men in Black – $3,355,069 ($235,057,188 total) {week 9}
15. Contact – $1,954,990 ($94,977,242 total) {week 8}
16. Con Air – $1,219,756 ($99,504,822 total) {week 13}
18. My Best Friend’s Wedding – $1,014,393 ($119,454,579 total) {week 11}
999. The Full Monty – $912,374 ($1,734,173 total) {week 3}
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $419,050 ($227,881,749 total) {week 15}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Air Force One – $15,165,425 ($274,540,953 total)
10. Men in Black – $5,971,877 ($418,391,552 total)
15. Contact – $3,479,797 ($169,055,352 total)
16. Con Air – $2,171,113 ($177,114,247 total)
18. My Best Friend’s Wedding – $1,805,575 ($212,623,946 total)
999. The Full Monty – $1,623,986 ($3,086,752 total)
999. The Lost World: Jurassic Park – $745,891 ($405,619,584 total)

Oscar Details:

• Air Force One: Editing, Sound
• Con Air: Original Song (“How Do I Live”), Sound
• Contact: Sound
• The Full Monty: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Original Musical or Comedy Score [O]
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park: Visual Effects
• Men in Black: Original Musical or Comedy Score, Art Direction, Makeup [O]
• My Best Friend’s Wedding: Original Comedy/Musical Score

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 28-30, 1992

Weekend Box Office:

2. Unforgiven – $5,653,203 ($55,130,063 total) {week 4}
5. Death Becomes Her – $2,685,945 ($46,376,135 total) {week 5}
12. Batman Returns – $1,006,032 ($158,080,946 total) {week 11}
14. Enchanted April – $897,900 ($3,182,176 total) {week 5}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Unforgiven – $11,129,318 ($108,533,160 total)
5. Death Becomes Her – $5,287,752 ($91,299,524 total)
12. Batman Returns – $1,980,550 ($311,209,959 total)
14. Enchanted April – $1,767,673 ($6,264,669 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Returns: Makeup, Visual Effects
• Death Becomes Her: Visual Effects [O]
• Enchanted April: Supporting Actress (Joan Plowright), Adapted Screenplay, Costume Design
• Unforgiven: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman) [O], Original Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 28-30, 1987

Weekend Box Office:

3. Dirty Dancing – $3,666,750 ($10,025,438 total) {week 2}
12. Robocop – $1,434,833 ($44,608,684 total) {week 7}
999. Matewan – $23,850 ($23,850 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Dirty Dancing – $7,661,726 ($20,948,294 total)
12. Robocop – $2,998,104 ($93,210,473 total)
999. Matewan – $49,835 ($49,835 total)

Oscar Details:

• Dirty Dancing: Original Song (“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”) [O]
• Matewan: Cinematography
• Robocop: Film Editing, Sound, Sound Effects [O]

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 27-29, 1982

Weekend Box Office:

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $6,630,709 ($227,450,298 total) {week 12}
2. An Officer and a Gentleman – $5,616,676 ($33,914,134 total) {week 5}
4. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $2,305,209 ($57,264,275 total) {week 6}
7. The World According to Garp – $1,603,596 ($20,006,294 total) {week 6}
9. Rocky III – $1,551,020 ($108,854,300 total) {week 14}
16. Tron – $1,006,255 ($23,893,745 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – $18,426,154 ($632,064,263 total)
2. An Officer and a Gentleman – $15,608,246 ($94,244,379 total)
4. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – $6,405,972 ($159,132,356 total)
7. The World According to Garp – $4,456,251 ($55,595,722 total)
9. Rocky III – $4,310,147 ($302,496,473 total)
16. Tron – $2,796,294 ($66,398,604 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas: Supporting Actor (Charles Durning)
• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
• An Officer and a Gentleman: Actress (Debra Winger), Supporting Actor (Louis Gossett Jr.) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Up Where We Belong”) [O], Original Score, Film Editing
• Rocky III: Original Song (“Eye of the Tiger”)
• Tron: Costume Design, Sound
• The World According to Garp: Supporting Actor (John Lithgow), Supporting Actress (Glenn Close)