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

None

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 12-14, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $27,832,307 ($105,208,226 total) {week 2}
2. The Help – $26,044,590 ($35,918,416 total) {week 1}
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $7,251,414 ($357,337,355 total) {week 5}
14. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $1,384,632 ($347,268,800 total) {week 7}
16. Midnight in Paris – $703,277 ($49,664,598 total) {week 13}
22. Bridesmaids – $360,520 ($167,169,895 total) {week 14}
23. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $351,096 ($163,433,627 total) {week 12}
33. The Tree of Life – $158,988 ($12,472,585 total) {week 12}
39. Beginners – $101,331 ($5,526,446 total) {week 11}
46. Rio – $69,607 ($143,478,280 total) {week 18}
64. A Better Life – $17,428 ($1,697,973 total) {week 8}
72. In a Better World – $12,461 ($999,046 total) {week 20}
74. Incendies – $10,315 ($2,010,913 total) {week 17}
91. If a Tree Falls – $2,852 ($58,957 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $28,674,647 ($108,392,334 total)
2. The Help – $26,832,825 ($37,005,480 total)
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – $7,470,877 ($368,152,105 total)
14. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $1,426,538 ($357,778,827 total)
16. Midnight in Paris – $724,562 ($51,167,688 total)
22. Bridesmaids – $371,431 ($172,229,261 total)
23. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $361,722 ($168,379,916 total)
33. The Tree of Life – $163,800 ($12,850,066 total)
39. Beginners – $104,398 ($5,693,703 total)
46. Rio – $71,714 ($147,820,624 total)
64. A Better Life – $17,955 ($1,749,362 total)
72. In a Better World – $12,838 ($1,029,282 total)
74. Incendies – $10,627 ($2,071,773 total)
91. If a Tree Falls – $2,938 ($60,741 total)

Oscar Details:

• Beginners: Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer) [O]
• A Better Life: Actor (Demian Bichir)
• Bridesmaids: Supporting Actress (Melissa McCarthy), Original Screenplay
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2: Art Direction, Makeup, Visual Effects
• The Help: Picture, Actress (Viola Davis), Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer [O])
• If a Tree Falls: Documentary Feature
• In a Better World: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Incendies: Foreign Language Film
• Kung Fu Panda 2: Animated Feature
• Midnight in Paris: Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay [O], Art Direction
• Rio: Original Song (“Real in Rio”)
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Visual Effects
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects
• The Tree of Life: Picture, Directing, Cinematography

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 11-13, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $7,237,927 ($392,431,781 total) {week 6}
10. Monster House – $3,285,771 ($63,663,488 total) {week 4}
12. Little Miss Sunshine – $2,603,168 ($5,642,853 total) {week 3}
15. The Devil Wears Prada – $1,869,313 ($116,491,461 total) {week 7}
18. Superman Returns – $1,242,461 ($192,594,159 total) {week 7}
23. Cars – $620,976 ($238,841,296 total) {week 10}
26. An Inconvenient Truth – $370,443 ($21,918,847 total) {week 12}
27. Click – $331,926 ($135,105,606 total) {week 8}
50. Half Nelson – $53,983 ($53,983 total) {week 1}
68. Water – $15,606 ($3,176,218 total) {week 16}
115. Sophie Scholl – $1,047 ($676,167 total) {week 26}
116. My Country, My Country – $1,005 ($6,182 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $9,028,071 ($489,491,244 total)
10. Monster House – $4,098,435 ($79,409,267 total)
12. Little Miss Sunshine – $3,247,005 ($7,038,490 total)
15. The Devil Wears Prada – $2,331,647 ($145,303,090 total)
18. Superman Returns – $1,549,757 ($240,228,134 total)
23. Cars – $774,561 ($297,913,494 total)
26. An Inconvenient Truth – $462,064 ($27,339,997 total)
27. Click – $414,021 ($168,521,038 total)
50. Half Nelson – $67,335 ($67,335 total)
68. Water – $19,466 ($3,961,786 total)
115. Sophie Scholl – $1,306 ($843,402 total)
116. My Country, My Country – $1,254 ($7,711 total)

Oscar Details:

• Cars: Animated Feature, Original Song (“Our Town”)
• Click: Makeup
• The Devil Wears Prada: Actress (Meryl Streep), Costume Design
• Half Nelson: Actor (Ryan Gosling)
• An Inconvenient Truth: Original Song (“I Need to Wake Up” [O]), Documentary Feature [O]
• Little Miss Sunshine: Picture, Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin [O]), Supporting Actress (Abigail Breslin), Original Screenplay [O]
• Monster House: Animated Feature
• My Country, My Country: Documentary Feature
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest: Art Direction, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• Sophie Scholl: Foreign Language Film
• Superman Returns: Visual Effects
• Water: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 10-12, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

16. Shrek – $684,371 ($259,456,747 total) {week 13}
21. Ghost World – $340,800 ($1,288,971 total) {week 4}
22. Moulin Rouge! – $258,718 ($55,093,223 total) {week 13}
24. Pearl Harbor – $237,128 ($195,072,119 total) {week 12}
25. Sexy Beast – $205,810 ($5,972,627 total) {week 9}
27. Memento – $198,338 ($24,595,255 total) {week 22}
36. A.I. Artificial Intelligence – $106,217 ($77,926,150 total) {week 7}
44. Divided We Fall – $69,019 ($817,051 total) {week 10}
999. Under the Sun – $5,954 ($60,730 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

16. Shrek – $987,864 ($374,516,188 total)
21. Ghost World – $491,932 ($1,860,582 total)
22. Moulin Rouge! – $373,450 ($79,525,023 total)
24. Pearl Harbor – $342,285 ($281,579,366 total)
25. Sexy Beast – $297,079 ($8,621,265 total)
27. Memento – $286,294 ($35,502,338 total)
36. A.I. Artificial Intelligence – $153,320 ($112,483,506 total)
44. Divided We Fall – $99,626 ($1,179,383 total)
999. Under the Sun – $8,594 ($87,662 total)

Oscar Details:

• A.I. Artificial Intelligence: Original Score, Visual Effects
• Divided We Fall: Foreign Language Film
• Ghost World: Adapted Screenplay
• Memento: Original Screenplay, Film Editing
• Moulin Rouge!: Picture, Actress (Nicole Kidman), Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
• Pearl Harbor: Original Song (“There You’ll Be”), Sound, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Sexy Beast: Supporting Actor (Ben Kingsley)
• Shrek: Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay
• Under the Sun: Foreign Language Film

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 9-11, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

4. Independence Day – $8,681,272 ($256,756,659 total) {week 6}
9. The Nutty Professor – $2,902,925 ($114,956,650 total) {week 7}
11. Twister – $1,573,565 ($233,667,074 total) {week 14}
12. Emma – $1,404,183 ($1,831,560 total) {week 2}
13. Trainspotting – $1,328,242 ($5,534,070 total) {week 4}
999. The Rock – $831,953 ($128,019,137 total) {week 10}
999. Toy Story – $35,933 ($191,652,928 total) {week 38}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

4. Independence Day – $16,046,605 ($474,593,191 total)
9. The Nutty Professor – $5,365,814 ($212,487,744 total)
11. Twister – $2,908,603 ($431,914,026 total)
12. Emma – $2,595,515 ($3,385,485 total)
13. Trainspotting – $2,455,144 ($10,229,265 total)
999. The Rock – $1,537,795 ($236,632,658 total)
999. Toy Story – $66,419 ($354,254,394 total)

Oscar Details:

• Emma: Original Musical or Comedy Score [O], Costume Design
• Independence Day: Sound, Visual Effects [O]
• The Nutty Professor: Makeup [O]
• The Rock: Sound
• Toy Story: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“You’ve Got a Friend in Me”), Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Trainspotting: Adapted Screenplay
• Twister: Sound, Visual Effects

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 9-11, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $6,725,035 ($159,166,629 total) {week 6}
7. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $2,518,742 ($138,607,978 total) {week 9}
9. Boyz N the Hood – $2,312,734 ($41,192,390 total) {week 5}
12. City Slickers – $1,808,803 ($105,309,769 total) {week 10}
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $189,457 ($129,412,237 total) {week 26}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – $13,050,721 ($308,881,558 total)
7. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – $4,887,915 ($268,985,078 total)
9. Boyz N the Hood – $4,488,132 ($79,938,676 total)
12. City Slickers – $3,510,195 ($204,365,989 total)
999. The Silence of the Lambs – $367,664 ($251,139,662 total)

Oscar Details:

• Boyz N the Hood: Directing, Original Screenplay
• City Slickers: Supporting Actor (Jack Palance) [O]
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves: Original Song (“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”)
• The Silence of the Lambs: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Anthony Hopkins) [O], Actress (Jodie Foster) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Sound
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day: Editing, Cinematography, Makeup [O], Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Aug. 8-10, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

1. Aliens – $5,779,352 ($47,312,167 total) {week 4}
2. The Karate Kid Part II – $3,674,410 ($83,059,004 total) {week 8}
5. Top Gun – $3,428,696 ($113,552,057 total) {week 13}
999. Stand By Me – $242,795 ($242,795 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Aliens – $12,727,037 ($104,188,788 total)
2. The Karate Kid Part II – $8,091,625 ($182,908,912 total)
5. Top Gun – $7,550,525 ($250,059,382 total)
999. Stand By Me – $534,673 ($534,673 total)

Oscar Details:

• Aliens: Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Original Score, Film Editing, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Karate Kid Part II: Original Song (“Glory of Love”)
• Stand By Me: Adapted Screenplay
• Top Gun: Original Song (“Take My Breath Away” [O]), Editing, Sound, Sound Effects