Box Office History (Week 38, 2026)

Every week, we’ll take a look back at how Oscar-nominated films performed at the box office. Due to the lack of data prior to 1980, some of these early years may have minimal information. From the mid-1990s back to 1980, the data exists, but is sometimes spotty. Everything after that should be accurate. We’ll look back at 5 years ago and then go back further in 5-year increments. We also include an inflation adjustment so you can see how ticket prices have changed and how films released today compare to those of yesteryear. Sometimes, it takes a few months for the prior year’s average ticket price to be formally set, so these numbers may vary until that point. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office followed by 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.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 17-19, 2021

Weekend Box Office:

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – $21,670,751 ($176,864,306 total) {week 3}
Free Guy – $5,086,435 ($108,462,465 total) {week 6}
The Eyes of Tammy Faye – $652,358 ($652,358 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – $25,037,495 ($204,341,750 total)
Free Guy – $5,876,658 ($125,313,074 total)
The Eyes of Tammy Faye – $753,708 ($753,708 total)

Oscar Details:

The Eyes of Tammy Faye: Actress (Jessica Chastain) [O], Makeup & Hairstyling [O]
Free Guy: Visual Effects
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Visual Effects

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 16-18, 2016

Weekend Box Office:

Sully (2016, 89th) – $21,653,017 ($70,194,368 total) {week 2}
Suicide Squad (2016, 89th) – $4,701,834 ($313,774,166 total) {week 7}
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016, 89th) – $2,540,031 ($44,272,005 total) {week 5}
Hell or High Water (2016, 89th) – $2,074,974 ($22,875,505 total) {week 6}
Star Trek: Beyond (2016, 89th) – $618,720 ($157,552,406 total) {week 9}
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016, 89th) – $392,863 ($26,555,545 total) {week 6}
Captain Fantastic (2016, 89th) – $76,342 ($5,605,657 total) {week 11}
The Jungle Book (2016, 89th) – $29,086 ($363,976,270 total) {week 23}
Tanna (2016, 89th) – $5,711 ($5,711 total) {week 1}
Life, Animated (2016, 89th) – $2,726 ($240,559 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Sully (2016, 89th) – $29,413,058 ($95,350,731 total)
Suicide Squad (2016, 89th) – $6,386,884 ($426,225,023 total)
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016, 89th) – $3,450,331 ($60,138,273 total)
Hell or High Water (2016, 89th) – $2,818,606 ($31,073,663 total)
Star Trek: Beyond (2016, 89th) – $840,458 ($214,016,274 total)
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016, 89th) – $533,658 ($36,072,561 total)
Captain Fantastic (2016, 89th) – $103,702 ($7,614,621 total)
The Jungle Book (2016, 89th) – $39,510 ($494,418,633 total)
Tanna (2016, 89th) – $7,758 ($7,758 total)
Life, Animated (2016, 89th) – $3,703 ($326,771 total)

Oscar Details:

Captain Fantastic (2016, 89th): Actor (Viggo Mortensen)
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016, 89th): Actress (Meryl Streep), Costume Design
Hell or High Water (2016, 89th): Picture, Supporting Actor (Jeff Bridges), Original Screenplay [O], Film Editing
The Jungle Book (2016, 89th): Visual Effects [O]
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016, 89th): Animated Feature, Visual Effects
Life, Animated (2016, 89th): Documentary Feature
Star Trek: Beyond (2016, 89th): Makeup & Hairstyling
Suicide Squad (2016, 89th): Makeup & Hairstyling [O]
Sully (2016, 89th): Sound Film Editing
Tanna (2016, 89th): Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 23-25, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

Moneyball (2011, 84th) – $19,501,302 ($19,501,302 total) {week 1}
Drive (2011, 84th) – $5,763,998 ($21,417,373 total) {week 2}
The Help (2011, 84th) – $4,370,051 ($154,414,153 total) {week 7}
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011, 84th) – $1,162,288 ($173,600,811 total) {week 8}
Warrior (2011, 84th) – $1,119,835 ($12,210,126 total) {week 3}
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011, 84th) – $401,086 ($351,902,625 total) {week 13}
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (2011, 84th) – $387,448 ($378,824,316 total) {week 11}
Midnight in Paris (2011, 84th) – $222,430 ($54,432,211 total) {week 19}
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011, 84th) – $78,563 ($165,230,261 total) {week 18}
Bridesmaids (2011, 84th) – $78,255 ($169,076,745 total) {week 20}
The Tree of Life (2011, 84th) – $31,743 ($13,205,306 total) {week 18}
Incendies (2010, 83rd) – $769 ($2,070,068 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Moneyball (2011, 84th) – $28,895,372 ($28,895,372 total)
Drive (2011, 84th) – $8,540,602 ($31,734,443 total)
The Help (2011, 84th) – $6,475,170 ($228,797,768 total)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011, 84th) – $1,722,180 ($257,226,927 total)
Warrior (2011, 84th) – $1,659,276 ($18,091,927 total)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011, 84th) – $594,295 ($521,419,400 total)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (2011, 84th) – $574,088 ($561,309,674 total)
Midnight in Paris (2011, 84th) – $329,578 ($80,653,024 total)
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011, 84th) – $116,408 ($244,824,157 total)
Bridesmaids (2011, 84th) – $115,952 ($250,523,550 total)
The Tree of Life (2011, 84th) – $47,034 ($19,566,500 total)
Incendies (2010, 83rd) – $1,139 ($3,067,251 total)

Oscar Details:

Bridesmaids (2011, 84th): Supporting Actress (Melissa McCarthy), Original Screenplay
Drive (2011, 84th): Sound Film Editing
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (2011, 84th): Art Direction, Makeup, Visual Effects
The Help (2011, 84th): Picture, Actress (Viola Davis), Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer [O])
Incendies (2010, 83rd): Foreign Language Film
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011, 84th): Animated Feature
Midnight in Paris (2011, 84th): Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay [O], Art Direction
Moneyball (2011, 84th): Picture, Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Mixing
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011, 84th): Visual Effects
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011, 84th): Sound Mixing, Sound Film Editing, Visual Effects
The Tree of Life (2011, 84th): Picture, Directing, Cinematography
Warrior (2011, 84th): Supporting Actor (Nick Nolte)

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 22-24, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

The Black Dahlia (2006, 79th) – $4,449,985 ($17,270,675 total) {week 2}
The Illusionist (2006, 79th) – $3,333,383 ($27,592,197 total) {week 6}
Little Miss Sunshine (2006, 79th) – $2,821,315 ($50,286,378 total) {week 9}
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006, 79th) – $868,255 ($419,654,338 total) {week 12}
Monster House (2006, 79th) – $365,488 ($72,314,890 total) {week 10}
Cars (2006, 79th) – $318,716 ($243,469,180 total) {week 16}
Superman Returns (2006, 79th) – $301,373 ($198,447,055 total) {week 13}
Half Nelson (2006, 79th) – $290,708 ($1,838,817 total) {week 7}
The Devil Wears Prada (2006, 79th) – $266,219 ($123,588,615 total) {week 13}
Click (2006, 79th) – $183,577 ($137,340,146 total) {week 14}
An Inconvenient Truth (2006, 79th) – $59,208 ($23,600,306 total) {week 18}
Jesus Camp (2006, 79th) – $37,348 ($65,370 total) {week 2}
Water (2006, 79th) – $5,831 ($3,248,585 total) {week 22}
My Country, My Country (2006, 79th) – $1,485 ($24,354 total) {week 8}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

The Black Dahlia (2006, 79th) – $7,982,798 ($30,981,745 total)
The Illusionist (2006, 79th) – $5,979,733 ($49,497,453 total)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006, 79th) – $5,061,138 ($90,208,388 total)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006, 79th) – $1,557,557 ($752,815,034 total)
Monster House (2006, 79th) – $655,646 ($129,725,184 total)
Cars (2006, 79th) – $571,742 ($436,757,689 total)
Superman Returns (2006, 79th) – $540,631 ($355,992,809 total)
Half Nelson (2006, 79th) – $521,499 ($3,298,641 total)
The Devil Wears Prada (2006, 79th) – $477,568 ($221,704,767 total)
Click (2006, 79th) – $329,318 ($246,373,544 total)
An Inconvenient Truth (2006, 79th) – $106,213 ($42,336,427 total)
Jesus Camp (2006, 79th) – $66,998 ($117,267 total)
Water (2006, 79th) – $10,460 ($5,827,614 total)
My Country, My Country (2006, 79th) – $2,664 ($43,688 total)

Oscar Details:

The Black Dahlia (2006, 79th): Cinematography
Cars (2006, 79th): Animated Feature, Original Song (“Our Town”)
Click (2006, 79th): Makeup
The Devil Wears Prada (2006, 79th): Actress (Meryl Streep), Costume Design
Half Nelson (2006, 79th): Actor (Ryan Gosling)
The Illusionist (2006, 79th): Cinematography
An Inconvenient Truth (2006, 79th): Original Song (“I Need to Wake Up” [O]), Documentary Feature [O]
Jesus Camp (2006, 79th): Documentary Feature
Little Miss Sunshine (2006, 79th): Picture, Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin [O]), Supporting Actress (Abigail Breslin), Original Screenplay [O]
Monster House (2006, 79th): Animated Feature
My Country, My Country (2006, 79th): Documentary Feature
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006, 79th): Art Direction, Sound Mixing, Sound Film Editing, Visual Effects [O]
Superman Returns (2006, 79th): Visual Effects
Water (2006, 79th): Foreign Language Film

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 21-23, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

Shrek (2001, 74th) – $662,761 ($264,752,789 total) {week 19}
Ghost World (2001, 74th) – $373,048 ($4,694,484 total) {week 10}
Pearl Harbor (2001, 74th) – $145,951 ($197,379,952 total) {week 18}
Moulin Rouge! (2001, 74th) – $70,418 ($56,495,724 total) {week 19}
Sexy Beast (2001, 74th) – $55,767 ($6,731,425 total) {week 15}
Children Underground (2001, 74th) – $3,075 ($4,758 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Shrek (2001, 74th) – $1,375,873 ($549,619,306 total)
Ghost World (2001, 74th) – $774,437 ($9,745,616 total)
Pearl Harbor (2001, 74th) – $302,990 ($409,755,201 total)
Moulin Rouge! (2001, 74th) – $146,186 ($117,283,526 total)
Sexy Beast (2001, 74th) – $115,771 ($13,974,248 total)
Children Underground (2001, 74th) – $6,384 ($9,877 total)

Oscar Details:

Children Underground (2001, 74th): Documentary Feature
Ghost World (2001, 74th): Adapted Screenplay
Moulin Rouge! (2001, 74th): Picture, Actress (Nicole Kidman), Film Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
Pearl Harbor (2001, 74th): Original Song (“There You’ll Be”), Sound, Sound Film Editing [O], Visual Effects
Sexy Beast (2001, 74th): Supporting Actor (Ben Kingsley)
Shrek (2001, 74th): Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay

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

Weekend Box Office:

First Wives Club (1996, 69th) – $18,913,411 ($18,913,411 total) {week 1}
Fly Away Home (1996, 69th) – $3,833,514 ($9,505,591 total) {week 2}
Independence Day (1996, 69th) – $1,591,751 ($290,605,002 total) {week 12}
The Nutty Professor (1996, 69th) – $1,120,995 ($124,153,160 total) {week 13}
The Rock (1996, 69th) – $325,443 ($132,761,806 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

First Wives Club (1996, 69th) – $50,278,864 ($50,278,864 total)
Fly Away Home (1996, 69th) – $10,190,903 ($25,269,388 total)
Independence Day (1996, 69th) – $4,231,465 ($772,535,922 total)
The Nutty Professor (1996, 69th) – $2,980,021 ($330,045,165 total)
The Rock (1996, 69th) – $865,148 ($352,930,140 total)

Oscar Details:

First Wives Club (1996, 69th): Original Comedy or Musical Score
Fly Away Home (1996, 69th): Cinematography
Independence Day (1996, 69th): Sound, Visual Effects [O]
The Nutty Professor (1996, 69th): Makeup [O]
The Rock (1996, 69th): Sound

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 20-22, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991, 64th) – $2,063,232 ($193,624,962 total) {week 12}
The Commitments (1991, 64th) – $1,752,234 ($9,042,363 total) {week 6}
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991, 64th) – $1,583,494 ($157,692,794 total) {week 15}
City Slickers (1991, 64th) – $1,178,111 ($117,581,105 total) {week 16}
Boyz N the Hood (1991, 64th) – $841,312 ($53,604,068 total) {week 11}
Barton Fink (1991, 64th) – $630,794 ($2,829,335 total) {week 5}
Rambling Rose (1991, 64th) – $314,631 ($314,631 total) {week 1}
The Fisher King (1991, 64th) – $311,662 ($311,662 total) {week 1}
The Silence of the Lambs (1991, 64th) – $73,381 ($130,549,109 total) {week 32}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991, 64th) – $5,758,427 ($540,402,210 total)
The Commitments (1991, 64th) – $4,890,439 ($25,236,999 total)
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991, 64th) – $4,419,490 ($440,116,468 total)
City Slickers (1991, 64th) – $3,288,077 ($328,165,792 total)
Boyz N the Hood (1991, 64th) – $2,348,080 ($149,607,553 total)
Barton Fink (1991, 64th) – $1,760,530 ($7,896,600 total)
Rambling Rose (1991, 64th) – $878,127 ($878,127 total)
The Fisher King (1991, 64th) – $869,840 ($869,840 total)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991, 64th) – $204,804 ($364,359,152 total)

Oscar Details:

Barton Fink (1991, 64th): Supporting Actor (Michael Lerner), Art Direction, Costume Design
Boyz N the Hood (1991, 64th): Directing, Original Screenplay
City Slickers (1991, 64th): Supporting Actor (Jack Palance) [O]
The Commitments (1991, 64th): Film Editing
The Fisher King (1991, 64th): Actor (Robin Williams), Supporting Actress (Mercedes Ruehl) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction
Rambling Rose (1991, 64th): Actress (Laura Dern), Supporting Actress (Diane Ladd)
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991, 64th): Original Song (“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991, 64th): Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Anthony Hopkins) [O], Actress (Jodie Foster) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Sound
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991, 64th): Film Editing, Cinematography, Makeup [O], Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]

40 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 19-21, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

Top Gun (1986, 59th) – $3,292,817 ($144,009,580 total) {week 19}
Stand By Me (1986, 59th) – $3,029,008 ($24,348,060 total) {week 7}
The Karate Kid Part II (1986, 59th) – $1,806,938 ($106,292,658 total) {week 14}
The Fly (1986, 59th) – $1,578,462 ($31,066,416 total) {week 6}
Aliens (1986, 59th) – $1,461,468 ($73,682,234 total) {week 10}
Blue Velvet (1986, 59th) – $789,409 ($789,409 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Top Gun (1986, 59th) – $10,428,733 ($456,095,031 total)
Stand By Me (1986, 59th) – $9,593,219 ($77,113,128 total)
The Karate Kid Part II (1986, 59th) – $5,722,782 ($336,641,168 total)
The Fly (1986, 59th) – $4,999,172 ($98,390,940 total)
Aliens (1986, 59th) – $4,628,639 ($233,360,175 total)
Blue Velvet (1986, 59th) – $2,500,150 ($2,500,150 total)

Oscar Details:

Aliens (1986, 59th): Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Original Score, Film Editing, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects Film Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
Blue Velvet (1986, 59th): Director
The Fly (1986, 59th): Makeup [O]
The Karate Kid Part II (1986, 59th): Original Song (“Glory of Love”)
Stand By Me (1986, 59th): Adapted Screenplay
Top Gun (1986, 59th): Original Song (“Take My Breath Away” [O]), Film Editing, Sound, Sound Effects

45 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 18-20, 1981

Weekend Box Office:

Arthur (1981, 54th) – $2,935,103 ($46,731,366 total) {week 10}
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981, 54th) – $2,326,951 ($131,810,688 total) {week 15}
The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981, 54th) – $124,110 ($124,110 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

Arthur (1981, 54th) – $12,405,561 ($197,515,666 total)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981, 54th) – $9,835,135 ($557,113,519 total)
The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981, 54th) – $524,566 ($524,566 total)

Oscar Details:

Arthur (1981, 54th): Actor (Dudley Moore), Supporting Actor (John Gielgud) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”) [O]
The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981, 54th): Actress (Meryl Streep), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981, 54th): Picture, Director, Original Score, Film Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Sound [O], Visual Effects [O], Special Achievement Award (Sound Effects Film Editing) [O]