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 Oct. 5-7, 2018
Weekend Box Office:
- A Star Is Born (2018, 91st) – $42,908,051 ($44,258,051 total) {week 1}
- Free Solo (2018, 91st) – $562,786 ($984,857 total) {week 2}
- Christopher Robin (2018, 91st) – $435,545 ($98,102,927 total) {week 10}
- The Wife (2018, 91st) – $383,403 ($6,790,237 total) {week 8}
- Incredibles 2 (2018, 91st) – $280,305 ($607,125,392 total) {week 17}
- BlacKkKlansman (2018, 91st) – $165,155 ($48,179,465 total) {week 9}
- RBG (2018, 91st) – $2,029 ($14,015,548 total) {week 23}
- Hale County This Morning, This Evening (2018, 91st) – $1,622 ($25,150 total) {week 4}
Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):
- A Star Is Born (2018, 91st) – $49,219,444 ($50,768,017 total)
- Free Solo (2018, 91st) – $645,567 ($1,129,721 total)
- Christopher Robin (2018, 91st) – $499,610 ($112,532,995 total)
- The Wife (2018, 91st) – $439,798 ($7,789,020 total)
- Incredibles 2 (2018, 91st) – $321,535 ($696,428,139 total)
- BlacKkKlansman (2018, 91st) – $189,448 ($55,266,236 total)
- RBG (2018, 91st) – $2,327 ($16,077,110 total)
- Hale County This Morning, This Evening (2018, 91st) – $1,861 ($28,849 total)
Oscar Details:
- BlacKkKlansman (2018, 91st): Picture, Directing, Supporting Actor (Adam Driver), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing
- Christopher Robin (2018, 91st): Visual Effects
- Free Solo (2018, 91st): Documentary Feature [O]
- Hale County This Morning, This Evening (2018, 91st): Documentary Feature
- Incredibles 2 (2018, 91st): Animated Feature
- RBG (2018, 91st): Original Song (“I’ll Fight”), Documentary Feature
- A Star Is Born (2018, 91st): Picture, Actor (Bradley Cooper), Actress (Lady Gaga), Supporting Actor (Sam Elliott), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Shallow”) [O], Cinematography, Sound Mixing
- The Wife (2018, 91st): Actress (Glenn Close)
10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 4-6, 2013
Weekend Box Office:
- Gravity (2013, 86th) – $55,785,112 ($55,785,112 total) {week 1}
- Prisoners (2013, 86th) – $5,748,464 ($47,928,432 total) {week 3}
- Despicable Me 2 (2013, 86th) – $485,010 ($362,435,610 total) {week 14}
- Blue Jasmine (2013, 86th) – $348,197 ($31,284,982 total) {week 11}
- The Grandmaster (2013, 86th) – $30,334 ($6,566,840 total) {week 7}
- The Lone Ranger (2013, 86th) – $30,163 ($89,289,910 total) {week 14}
- Before Midnight (2013, 86th) – $1,356 ($8,108,527 total) {week 20}
- The Act of Killing (2013, 86th) – $443 ($441,205 total) {week 12}
Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):
- Gravity (2013, 86th) – $71,704,111 ($71,704,111 total)
- Prisoners (2013, 86th) – $7,388,862 ($61,605,426 total)
- Despicable Me 2 (2013, 86th) – $623,414 ($465,861,270 total)
- Blue Jasmine (2013, 86th) – $447,559 ($40,212,554 total)
- The Grandmaster (2013, 86th) – $38,990 ($8,440,772 total)
- The Lone Ranger (2013, 86th) – $38,770 ($114,769,934 total)
- Before Midnight (2013, 86th) – $1,743 ($10,422,399 total)
- The Act of Killing (2013, 86th) – $569 ($567,109 total)
Oscar Details:
- The Act of Killing (2013, 86th): Documentary Feature
- Before Midnight (2013, 86th): Adapted Screenplay
- Blue Jasmine (2013, 86th): Actress (Cate Blanchett) [O], Supporting Actress (Sally Hawkins), Original Screenplay
- Despicable Me 2 (2013, 86th): Animated Feature, Original Song (“Happy”)
- The Grandmaster (2013, 86th): Cinematography, Costume Design
- Gravity (2013, 86th): Picture, Directing [O], Actress (Sandra Bullock), Original Score [O], Film Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Production Design, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Film Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
- The Lone Ranger (2013, 86th): Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects
- Prisoners (2013, 86th): Cinematography
15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 3-5, 2008
Weekend Box Office:
- The Duchess (2008, 81st) – $893,990 ($1,950,786 total) {week 3}
- The Dark Knight (2008, 81st) – $828,213 ($525,831,387 total) {week 12}
- Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, 81st) – $406,256 ($21,060,253 total) {week 8}
- Tropic Thunder (2008, 81st) – $326,593 ($109,472,162 total) {week 8}
- Rachel Getting Married (2008, 81st) – $293,369 ($293,369 total) {week 1}
- WALL-E (2008, 81st) – $210,231 ($221,127,808 total) {week 15}
- Kung Fu Panda (2008, 81st) – $143,801 ($215,395,021 total) {week 18}
- Man on Wire (2008, 81st) – $69,888 ($2,509,822 total) {week 11}
- Frozen River (2008, 81st) – $59,336 ($1,996,900 total) {week 10}
- Trouble the Water (2008, 81st) – $23,917 ($324,553 total) {week 7}
- The Visitor (2008, 81st) – $3,816 ($9,422,422 total) {week 26}
- Encounters at the End of the World (2008, 81st) – $3,217 ($921,813 total) {week 17}
Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):
- The Duchess (2008, 81st) – $1,301,141 ($2,839,236 total)
- The Dark Knight (2008, 81st) – $1,205,408 ($765,311,698 total)
- Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, 81st) – $591,278 ($30,651,761 total)
- Tropic Thunder (2008, 81st) – $475,334 ($159,329,261 total)
- Rachel Getting Married (2008, 81st) – $426,979 ($426,979 total)
- WALL-E (2008, 81st) – $305,977 ($321,836,434 total)
- Kung Fu Panda (2008, 81st) – $209,293 ($313,492,753 total)
- Man on Wire (2008, 81st) – $101,717 ($3,652,875 total)
- Frozen River (2008, 81st) – $86,359 ($2,906,352 total)
- Trouble the Water (2008, 81st) – $34,810 ($472,365 total)
- The Visitor (2008, 81st) – $5,554 ($13,713,692 total)
- Encounters at the End of the World (2008, 81st) – $4,682 ($1,341,636 total)
Oscar Details:
- The Dark Knight (2008, 81st): Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger) [O], Film Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Film Editing [O], Visual Effects
- The Duchess (2008, 81st): Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
- Encounters at the End of the World (2008, 81st): Documentary Feature
- Frozen River (2008, 81st): Actress (Melissa Leo), Original Screenplay
- Kung Fu Panda (2008, 81st): Animated Feature
- Man on Wire (2008, 81st): Documentary Feature [O]
- Rachel Getting Married (2008, 81st): Actress (Anne Hathaway)
- Tropic Thunder (2008, 81st): Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.)
- Trouble the Water (2008, 81st): Documentary Feature
- Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, 81st): Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz) [O]
- The Visitor (2008, 81st): Actor (Richard Jenkins)
- WALL-E (2008, 81st): Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Down to Earth”), Original Score, Sound Mixing, Sound Film Editing
20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 3-5, 2003
Weekend Box Office:
- Lost in Translation (2003, 76th) – $4,163,333 ($14,027,415 total) {week 4}
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003, 76th) – $1,629,244 ($297,930,745 total) {week 13}
- Finding Nemo (2003, 76th) – $659,505 ($336,477,830 total) {week 19}
- Seabiscuit (2003, 76th) – $583,065 ($118,251,555 total) {week 11}
- Thirteen (2003, 76th) – $229,314 ($4,064,274 total) {week 7}
- American Splendor (2003, 76th) – $200,361 ($5,404,960 total) {week 8}
- Dirty Pretty Things (2003, 76th) – $159,556 ($7,545,060 total) {week 12}
- Whale Rider (2003, 76th) – $158,411 ($20,308,150 total) {week 18}
- Winged Migration (2002, 75th) – $85,724 ($10,336,320 total) {week 25}
- Spellbound (2002, 75th) – $16,257 ($5,656,596 total) {week 23}
- The Weather Underground (2003, 76th) – $15,827 ($420,235 total) {week 18}
- Capturing the Friedmans (2003, 76th) – $7,655 ($3,110,867 total) {week 19}
- City of God (2003, 76th) – $5,366 ($4,659,390 total) {week 38}
- Nowhere in Africa (2002, 75th) – $2,899 ($6,173,485 total) {week 31}
Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):
- Lost in Translation (2003, 76th) – $7,215,063 ($24,309,533 total)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003, 76th) – $2,823,483 ($516,314,475 total)
- Finding Nemo (2003, 76th) – $1,142,923 ($583,116,637 total)
- Seabiscuit (2003, 76th) – $1,010,453 ($204,930,141 total)
- Thirteen (2003, 76th) – $397,402 ($7,043,394 total)
- American Splendor (2003, 76th) – $347,226 ($9,366,805 total)
- Dirty Pretty Things (2003, 76th) – $276,511 ($13,075,601 total)
- Whale Rider (2003, 76th) – $274,527 ($35,194,058 total)
- Winged Migration (2002, 75th) – $148,560 ($17,912,860 total)
- Spellbound (2002, 75th) – $28,173 ($9,802,890 total)
- The Weather Underground (2003, 76th) – $27,428 ($728,268 total)
- Capturing the Friedmans (2003, 76th) – $13,266 ($5,391,138 total)
- City of God (2003, 76th) – $9,299 ($8,074,731 total)
- Nowhere in Africa (2002, 75th) – $5,024 ($10,698,660 total)
Oscar Details:
- American Splendor (2003, 76th): Adapted Screenplay
- Capturing the Friedmans (2003, 76th): Documentary Feature
- City of God (2003, 76th): Director, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Cinematography
- Dirty Pretty Things (2003, 76th): Original Screenplay
- Finding Nemo (2003, 76th): Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Sound Film Editing
- Lost in Translation (2003, 76th): Picture, Director, Actor (Bill Murray), Original Screenplay [O]
- Nowhere in Africa (2002, 75th): Foreign Language Film [O]
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003, 76th): Actor (Johnny Depp), Makeup, Sound Mixing, Sound Film Editing, Visual Effects
- Seabiscuit (2003, 76th): Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
- Spellbound (2002, 75th): Documentary Feature
- Thirteen (2003, 76th): Supporting Actress (Holly Hunter)
- The Weather Underground (2003, 76th): Documentary Feature
- Whale Rider (2003, 76th): Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
- Winged Migration (2002, 75th): Documentary Feature
25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 2-4, 1998
Weekend Box Office:
- What Dreams May Come (1998, 71st) – $15,833,592 ($15,833,592 total) {week 1}
- One True Thing (1998, 71st) – $2,666,675 ($17,313,885 total) {week 3}
- Saving Private Ryan (1998, 71st) – $1,674,034 ($184,341,779 total) {week 11}
Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):
- What Dreams May Come (1998, 71st) – $35,279,539 ($35,279,539 total)
- One True Thing (1998, 71st) – $5,941,739 ($38,577,846 total)
- Saving Private Ryan (1998, 71st) – $3,729,990 ($410,740,211 total)
Oscar Details:
- One True Thing (1998, 71st): Actress (Meryl Streep)
- Saving Private Ryan (1998, 71st): Picture, Director [O], Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Film Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Makeup, Sound [O], Sound Effects [O]
- What Dreams May Come (1998, 71st): Art Direction, Visual Effects [O]
30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 1-3, 1993
Weekend Box Office:
- The Age of Innocence (1993, 66th) – $4,159,209 ($13,750,984 total) {week 3}
- The Fugitive (1993, 66th) – $3,449,017 ($166,325,128 total) {week 9}
- Jurassic Park (1993, 66th) – $1,063,860 ($325,734,675 total) {week 17}
- In the Line of Fire (1993, 66th) – $104,665 ($102,170,490 total) {week 13}
Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):
- The Age of Innocence (1993, 66th) – $10,498,486 ($34,709,609 total)
- The Fugitive (1993, 66th) – $8,705,852 ($419,830,335 total)
- Jurassic Park (1993, 66th) – $2,685,347 ($822,204,675 total)
- In the Line of Fire (1993, 66th) – $264,191 ($257,894,111 total)
Oscar Details:
- The Age of Innocence (1993, 66th): Supporting Actress (Winona Ryder), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design [O]
- The Fugitive (1993, 66th): Picture, Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones) [O], Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects
- In the Line of Fire (1993, 66th): Supporting Actor (John Malkovich), Original Screenplay, Film Editing
- Jurassic Park (1993, 66th): Sound [O], Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O]
35 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 30-Oct. 2, 1988
Weekend Box Office:
- Gorillas in the Mist (1988, 61st) – $3,451,230 ($3,989,311 total) {week 2}
- A Fish Called Wanda (1988, 61st) – $2,051,278 ($51,053,364 total) {week 12}
- Die Hard (1988, 61st) – $2,015,246 ($70,751,623 total) {week 12}
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988, 61st) – $1,543,344 ($140,151,770 total) {week 15}
- Big (1988, 61st) – $1,135,509 ($104,204,609 total) {week 18}
- Bird (1988, 61st) – $27,116 ($27,116 total) {week 1}
- The Last Temptation of Christ (1988, 61st) – $377,593 ($6,639,490 total) {week 8}
- Running on Empty (1988, 61st) – $454,164 ($1,328,107 total) {week 4}
Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):
- Gorillas in the Mist (1988, 61st) – $8,775,025 ($10,143,139 total)
- A Fish Called Wanda (1988, 61st) – $5,215,537 ($129,807,215 total)
- Die Hard (1988, 61st) – $5,123,922 ($179,891,596 total)
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988, 61st) – $3,924,074 ($356,346,958 total)
- Big (1988, 61st) – $2,887,121 ($264,948,458 total)
- Bird (1988, 61st) – $68,945 ($68,945 total)
- The Last Temptation of Christ (1988, 61st) – $960,060 ($16,881,428 total)
- Running on Empty (1988, 61st) – $1,154,748 ($3,376,817 total)
Oscar Details:
- Big (1988, 61st): Actor (Tom Hanks), Original Screenplay
- Bird (1988, 61st): Sound [O]
- Die Hard (1988, 61st): Film Editing, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
- A Fish Called Wanda (1988, 61st): Director, Supporting Actor (Kevin Kline) [O], Original Screenplay
- Gorillas in the Mist (1988, 61st): Actress (Sigourney Weaver), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Film Editing, Sound
- The Last Temptation of Christ (1988, 61st): Director
- Running on Empty (1988, 61st): Supporting Actor (River Phoenix), Original Screenplay
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988, 61st): Film Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects [O], Visual Effects [O], Special Achievement Award (Animation Direction, Richard Williams)
40 Years Ago: The Weekend of Oct. 7-9, 1983
Weekend Box Office:
- The Big Chill (1983, 56th) – $4,147,808 ($9,246,429 total) {week 2}
- Flashdance (1983, 56th) – $854,804 ($89,539,024 total) {week 26}
- Trading Places (1983, 56th) – $837,069 ($87,914,026 total) {week 18}
- Return of the Jedi (1983, 56th) – $804,710 ($240,195,174 total) {week 20}
Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):
- XXXX – $XXXX ($XXXX total)
Oscar Details:
- The Big Chill (1983, 56th): Picture, Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Original Screenplay
- Flashdance (1983, 56th): Original Song (“Flashdance…What a Feeling”) [O], Original Song (“Maniac”), Film Editing, Cinematography
- Return of the Jedi (1983, 56th): Original Score, Art Direction, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
- Trading Places (1983, 56th): Original Song Score