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.
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: 2020
Weekend Box Office:
- The pandemic shut down theaters in March 2020. As such, the 2020 box office numbers won’t begin to update again until the beginning of September 2020.
- Cinderella (2015, 88th) – $4,025,469 ($186,478,482 total) {week 6}
- Ex Machina (2015, 88th) – $798,661 ($1,126,277 total) {week 2}
- American Sniper (2014, 87th) – $379,718 ($347,762,901 total) {week 17}
- Wild Tales (2014, 87th) – $118,000 ($2,380,000 total) {week 9}
- Fifty Shades of Grey (2015, 88th) – $95,150 ($165,960,425 total) {week 10}
- The Salt of the Earth (2014, 87th) – $81,500 ($374,400 total) {week 4}
- Still Alice (2014, 87th) – $51,700 ($18,562,800 total) {week 14}
- The Imitation Game (2014, 87th) – $41,364 ($91,020,367 total) {week 21}
- Big Hero 6 (2014, 87th) – $26,160 ($222,404,450 total) {week 24}
- The Hunting Ground (2015, 88th) – $9,030 ($247,005 total) {week 8}
- Wild (2014, 87th) – $6,734 ($37,862,911 total) {week 20}
- CitizenFour (2014, 87th) – $5,025 ($2,788,984 total) {week 26}
- Tangerines (2014, 87th) – $5,180 ($5,180 total) {week 1}
- Song of the Sea (2014, 87th) – $2,942 ($834,416 total) {week 18}
- Timbuktu (2014, 87th) – $2,800 ($1,048,600 total) {week 12}
- Ida (2014, 87th) – $411 ($3,824,467 total) {week 51}
- Cinderella (2015, 88th) – $5,400,718 ($250,186,433 total)
- Ex Machina (2015, 88th) – $1,071,513 ($1,511,055 total)
- American Sniper (2014, 87th) – $509,444 ($466,571,579 total)
- Wild Tales (2014, 87th) – $158,313 ($3,193,096 total)
- Fifty Shades of Grey (2015, 88th) – $127,657 ($222,658,648 total)
- The Salt of the Earth (2014, 87th) – $109,343 ($502,309 total)
- Still Alice (2014, 87th) – $69,363 ($24,904,540 total)
- The Imitation Game (2014, 87th) – $55,495 ($122,116,293 total)
- Big Hero 6 (2014, 87th) – $35,097 ($298,386,041 total)
- The Hunting Ground (2015, 88th) – $12,115 ($331,391 total)
- Wild (2014, 87th) – $9,035 ($50,798,283 total)
- CitizenFour (2014, 87th) – $6,742 ($3,741,804 total)
- Tangerines (2014, 87th) – $6,950 ($6,950 total)
- Song of the Sea (2014, 87th) – $3,947 ($1,119,483 total)
- Timbuktu (2014, 87th) – $3,757 ($1,406,841 total)
- Ida (2014, 87th) – $551 ($5,131,046 total)
- American Sniper (2014, 87th): Picture, Actor (Bradley Cooper), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Mixing, Sound Film Editing [O]
- Big Hero 6 (2014, 87th): Animated Feature [O]
- Cinderella (2015, 88th): Costume Design
- CitizenFour (2014, 87th): Documentary Feature [O]
- Ex Machina (2015, 88th): Original Screenplay, Visual Effects [O]
- Fifty Shades of Grey (2015, 88th): Original Song (“Earned It”)
- The Hunting Ground (2015, 88th): Original Song (“Til It Happens to You”)
- Ida (2014, 87th): Cinematography, Foreign Language Film [O]
- The Imitation Game (2014, 87th): Picture, Directing, Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), Supporting Actress (Keira Knightley), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing, Production Design
- The Salt of the Earth (2014, 87th): Documentary Feature
- Song of the Sea (2014, 87th): Animated Feature
- Still Alice (2014, 87th): Actress (Julianne Moore) [O]
- Tangerines (2014, 87th): Foreign Language Film
- Timbuktu (2014, 87th): Foreign Language Film
- Wild (2014, 87th): Actress (Reese Witherspoon), Supporting Actress (Laura Dern)
- Wild Tales (2014, 87th): Foreign Language Film
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010, 83rd) – $19,633,320 ($158,251,066 total) {week 4}
- Alice in Wonderland (2010, 83rd) – $3,656,442 ($324,131,301 total) {week 7}
- Avatar (2009, 82nd) – $1,002,814 ($745,023,267 total) {week 18}
- Crazy Heart (2009, 82nd) – $174,870 ($39,054,847 total) {week 18}
- Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010, 83rd) – $170,756 ($170,756 total) {week 1}
- The Secret in Their Eyes (2009, 82nd) – $167,866 ($167,866 total) {week 1}
- A Prophet (2009, 82nd) – $82,365 ($1,803,459 total) {week 8}
- The Blind Side (2009, 82nd) – $68,122 ($255,846,167 total) {week 22}
- The Last Station (2009, 82nd) – $57,764 ($6,427,418 total) {week 14}
- Sherlock Holmes (2009, 82nd) – $48,018 ($208,978,879 total) {week 17}
- The Secret of Kells (2009, 82nd) – $38,394 ($317,476 total) {week 7}
- The Young Victoria (2009, 82nd) – $24,097 ($10,954,357 total) {week 18}
- The White Ribbon (2009, 82nd) – $22,303 ($2,156,238 total) {week 16}
- Ajami (2009, 82nd) – $15,887 ($513,166 total) {week 11}
- A Single Man (2009, 82nd) – $12,210 ($9,166,863 total) {week 19}
- The Most Dangerous Man in America (2009, 82nd) – $10,090 ($371,257 total) {week 12}
- The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009, 82nd) – $9,883 ($7,661,980 total) {week 17}
- An Education (2009, 82nd) – $6,553 ($12,567,051 total) {week 28}
- The Messenger (2009, 82nd) – $3,466 ($1,085,975 total) {week 23}
- The 2009 Academy Award Nominated Short Films (2009, 82nd) – $808 ($1,015,975 total) {week 9}
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010, 83rd) – $28,143,580 ($226,846,585 total)
- Alice in Wonderland (2010, 83rd) – $5,241,364 ($464,629,279 total)
- Avatar (2009, 82nd) – $1,437,494 ($1,067,961,109 total)
- Crazy Heart (2009, 82nd) – $250,669 ($55,983,564 total)
- Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010, 83rd) – $244,772 ($244,772 total)
- The Secret in Their Eyes (2009, 82nd) – $240,629 ($240,629 total)
- A Prophet (2009, 82nd) – $118,067 ($2,585,186 total)
- The Blind Side (2009, 82nd) – $97,650 ($366,745,266 total)
- The Last Station (2009, 82nd) – $82,802 ($9,213,447 total)
- Sherlock Holmes (2009, 82nd) – $68,832 ($299,562,880 total)
- The Secret of Kells (2009, 82nd) – $55,036 ($455,089 total)
- The Young Victoria (2009, 82nd) – $34,542 ($15,702,633 total)
- The White Ribbon (2009, 82nd) – $31,970 ($3,090,881 total)
- Ajami (2009, 82nd) – $22,773 ($735,603 total)
- A Single Man (2009, 82nd) – $17,503 ($13,140,332 total)
- The Most Dangerous Man in America (2009, 82nd) – $14,464 ($532,182 total)
- The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009, 82nd) – $14,167 ($10,983,142 total)
- An Education (2009, 82nd) – $9,393 ($18,014,366 total)
- The Messenger (2009, 82nd) – $4,968 ($1,556,702 total)
- The 2009 Academy Award Nominated Short Films (2009, 82nd) – $1,158 ($1,456,360 total)
- The 2009 Academy Award Nominated Short Films (2009, 82nd): Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Documentary Short Film
- Ajami (2009, 82nd): Foreign Language Film
- Alice in Wonderland (2010, 83rd): Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Visual Effects
- Avatar (2009, 82nd): Picture, Director, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Film Editing, Visual Effects [O]
- The Blind Side (2009, 82nd): Picture, Actress (Sandra Bullock) [O]
- Crazy Heart (2009, 82nd): Actor (Jeff Bridges) [O], Supporting Actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Original Song (“The Weary Kind”) [O]
- An Education (2009, 82nd): Picture, Actress (Carey Mulligan), Adapted Screenplay
- Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010, 83rd): Documentary Feature
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010, 83rd): Animated Feature, Original Score
- The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009, 82nd): Art Direction, Costume Design
- The Last Station (2009, 82nd): Actress (Helen Mirren), Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer)
- The Messenger (2009, 82nd): Supporting Actor (Woody Harrelson), Original Screenplay
- The Most Dangerous Man in America (2009, 82nd): Documentary Feature
- A Prophet (2009, 82nd): Foreign Language Film
- The Secret in Their Eyes (2009, 82nd): Foreign Language Film
- The Secret of Kells (2009, 82nd): Animated Feature
- Sherlock Holmes (2009, 82nd): Original Score, Art Direction
- A Single Man (2009, 82nd): Actor (Colin Firth)
- The White Ribbon (2009, 82nd): Cinematography, Foreign Language Film
- The Young Victoria (2009, 82nd): Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Makeup
- Million Dollar Baby (2004, 77th) – $309,289 ($99,252,599 total) {week 19}
- Downfall (2004, 77th) – $242,983 ($4,546,279 total) {week 10}
- The Aviator (2004, 77th) – $149,461 ($102,253,733 total) {week 19}
- Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005, 78th) – $76,639 ($76,639 total) {week 1}
- The Phantom of the Opera (2004, 77th) – $75,863 ($51,116,230 total) {week 18}
- Born Into Brothels (2004, 77th) – $73,785 ($3,175,947 total) {week 16}
- Sideways (2004, 77th) – $44,099 ($71,444,367 total) {week 27}
- The Chorus (2004, 77th) – $25,543 ($1,472,014 total) {week 15}
- Hotel Rwanda (2004, 77th) – $23,176 ($23,519,128 total) {week 18}
- Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004, 77th) – $14,677 ($118,627,117 total) {week 1}
- Finding Neverland (2004, 77th) – $12,703 ($51,676,606 total) {week 24}
- The Sea Inside (2004, 77th) – $11,574 ($1,991,334 total) {week 19}
- Million Dollar Baby (2004, 77th) – $545,719 ($175,124,321 total)
- Downfall (2004, 77th) – $428,727 ($8,021,594 total)
- The Aviator (2004, 77th) – $263,714 ($180,419,613 total)
- Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005, 78th) – $135,224 ($135,224 total)
- The Phantom of the Opera (2004, 77th) – $133,855 ($90,191,039 total)
- Born Into Brothels (2004, 77th) – $130,189 ($5,603,738 total)
- Sideways (2004, 77th) – $77,810 ($126,058,626 total)
- The Chorus (2004, 77th) – $45,069 ($2,597,267 total)
- Hotel Rwanda (2004, 77th) – $40,892 ($41,497,869 total)
- Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004, 77th) – $25,897 ($209,309,313 total)
- Finding Neverland (2004, 77th) – $22,414 ($91,179,784 total)
- The Sea Inside (2004, 77th) – $20,422 ($3,513,571 total)
- The Aviator (2004, 77th): Picture, Director, Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Supporting Actor (Alan Alda), Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett) [O], Original Screenplay, Film Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Sound Mixing
- Born Into Brothels (2004, 77th): Documentary Feature
- The Chorus (2004, 77th): Original Song (“Look To Your Path”), Foreign Language Film
- Downfall (2004, 77th): Foreign Language Film
- Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005, 78th): Documentary Feature
- Finding Neverland (2004, 77th): Picture, Actor (Johnny Depp), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score [O], Film Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design
- Hotel Rwanda (2004, 77th): Actor (Don Cheadle), Supporting Actress (Sophie Okonedo), Original Screenplay
- Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004, 77th): Original Score, Makeup [O], Art Direction, Costume Design
- Million Dollar Baby (2004, 77th): Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing
- The Phantom of the Opera (2004, 77th): Original Song (“Learn To Be Lonely”), Cinematography, Art Direction
- The Sea Inside (2004, 77th): Makeup, Foreign Language Film [O]
- Sideways (2004, 77th): Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Thomas Haden Church), Supporting Actress (Virginia Madsen), Adapted Screenplay [O]
- U-571 (2000, 73rd) – $19,553,310 ($19,553,310 total) {week 1}
- Erin Brockovich (2000, 73rd) – $5,500,790 ($107,386,500 total) {week 6}
- American Beauty (1999, 72nd) – $1,357,651 ($126,956,565 total) {week 32}
- Toy Story 2 (1999, 72nd) – $365,361 ($243,907,768 total) {week 23}
- The Cider House Rules (1999, 72nd) – $354,399 ($56,281,556 total) {week 20}
- The Green Mile (1999, 72nd) – $216,485 ($136,421,496 total) {week 20}
- Bicentennial Man (1999, 72nd) – $186,325 ($57,740,291 total) {week 19}
- The Sixth Sense (1999, 72nd) – $161,627 ($293,243,954 total) {week 38}
- Boys Don’t Cry (1999, 72nd) – $161,303 ($11,288,912 total) {week 29}
- Stuart Little (1999, 72nd) – $152,693 ($139,928,434 total) {week 19}
- East-West (1999, 72nd) – $90,352 ($283,766 total) {week 3}
- Girl, Interrupted (1999, 72nd) – $84,571 ($28,764,686 total) {week 18}
- All About My Mother (1999, 72nd) – $68,700 ($7,650,682 total) {week 25}
- Sleepy Hollow (1999, 72nd) – $54,474 ($100,996,441 total) {week 23}
- Topsy-Turvy (1999, 72nd) – $49,408 ($6,109,771 total) {week 19}
- Wonder Boys (2000, 73rd) – $39,541 ($18,659,932 total) {week 9}
- Titus (1999, 72nd) – $35,573 ($1,767,779 total) {week 18}
- Being John Malkovich (1999, 72nd) – $34,993 ($22,804,123 total) {week 26}
- U-571 (2000, 73rd) – $41,029,302 ($41,029,302 total)
- Erin Brockovich (2000, 73rd) – $11,542,474 ($225,332,340 total)
- American Beauty (1999, 72nd) – $2,848,800 ($266,396,800 total)
- Toy Story 2 (1999, 72nd) – $766,648 ($511,799,046 total)
- The Cider House Rules (1999, 72nd) – $743,646 ($118,097,291 total)
- The Green Mile (1999, 72nd) – $454,257 ($286,257,351 total)
- Bicentennial Man (1999, 72nd) – $390,971 ($121,158,199 total)
- The Sixth Sense (1999, 72nd) – $339,147 ($615,322,657 total)
- Boys Don’t Cry (1999, 72nd) – $338,467 ($23,687,865 total)
- Stuart Little (1999, 72nd) – $320,400 ($293,616,065 total)
- East-West (1999, 72nd) – $189,588 ($595,435 total)
- Girl, Interrupted (1999, 72nd) – $177,458 ($60,357,811 total)
- All About My Mother (1999, 72nd) – $144,155 ($16,053,657 total)
- Sleepy Hollow (1999, 72nd) – $114,304 ($211,923,886 total)
- Topsy-Turvy (1999, 72nd) – $103,674 ($12,820,317 total)
- Wonder Boys (2000, 73rd) – $82,970 ($39,154,700 total)
- Titus (1999, 72nd) – $74,644 ($3,709,384 total)
- Being John Malkovich (1999, 72nd) – $73,427 ($47,850,581 total)
- All About My Mother (1999, 72nd): Foreign Language Film [O]
- American Beauty (1999, 72nd): Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Actress (Annette Bening), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography
- Being John Malkovich (1999, 72nd): Director, Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), Original Screenplay
- Bicentennial Man (1999, 72nd): Makeup
- Boys Don’t Cry (1999, 72nd): Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actress (Chloe Sevigny)
- The Cider House Rules (1999, 72nd): Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Michael Caine) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing, Art Direction
- East-West (1999, 72nd): Foreign Language Film
- Erin Brockovich (2000, 73rd): Picture, Directing, Actress (Julia Roberts) [O], Supporting Actor (Albert Finney), Original Screenplay
- Girl, Interrupted (1999, 72nd): Supporting Actress (Angelina Jolie)
- The Green Mile (1999, 72nd): Picture, Supporting Actor (Michael Clarke Duncan), Adapted Screenplay, Sound
- The Sixth Sense (1999, 72nd): Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment), Supporting Actress (Toni Collette), Original Screenplay, Film Editing
- Sleepy Hollow (1999, 72nd): Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design
- Stuart Little (1999, 72nd): Visual Effects
- Titus (1999, 72nd): Costume Design
- Topsy-Turvy (1999, 72nd): Original Screenplay, Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Makeup [O]
- Toy Story 2 (1999, 72nd): Original Song (“When She Loved Me”)
- U-571 (2000, 73rd): Sound, Sound Film Editing [O]
- Wonder Boys (2000, 73rd): Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Things Have Changed”), Film Editing
- Rob Roy (1995, 68th) – $5,021,901 ($18,825,192 total) {week 3}
- Don Juan DeMarco (1995, 68th) – $2,614,487 ($13,669,644 total) {week 3}
- Forrest Gump (1994, 67th) – $1,233,350 ($327,389,216 total) {week 42}
- Burnt By the Sun (1994, 67th) – $60,074 ($60,074 total) {week 1}
- Rob Roy (1995, 68th) – $13,056,943 ($48,945,499 total)
- Don Juan DeMarco (1995, 68th) – $6,797,666 ($35,541,074 total)
- Forrest Gump (1994, 67th) – $3,206,710 ($851,211,962 total)
- Burnt By the Sun (1994, 67th) – $156,192 ($156,192 total)
- Burnt By the Sun (1994, 67th): Foreign Language Film
- Don Juan DeMarco (1995, 68th): Original Song (“Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman”)
- Forrest Gump (1994, 67th): Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Tom Hanks) [O], Supporting Actor (Gary Sinise), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing [O], Cinematography, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects [O]
- Rob Roy (1995, 68th): Supporting Actor (Tim Roth)
- Pretty Woman (1990, 63rd) – $8,323,687 ($71,725,472 total) {week 5}
- The Hunt for Red October (1990, 63rd) – $3,551,837 ($95,074,508 total) {week 8}
- Driving Miss Daisy (1989, 62nd) – $2,075,163 ($93,591,323 total) {week 19}
- Cinema Paradiso (1989, 62nd) – $281,550 ($2,753,811 total) {week 12}
- Pretty Woman (1990, 63rd) – $22,255,532 ($191,776,617 total)
- The Hunt for Red October (1990, 63rd) – $9,496,756 ($254,206,309 total)
- Driving Miss Daisy (1989, 62nd) – $5,548,485 ($250,240,630 total)
- Cinema Paradiso (1989, 62nd) – $752,797 ($7,363,027 total)
- Cinema Paradiso (1989, 62nd): Foreign Language Film
- Driving Miss Daisy (1989, 62nd): Picture [O], Actor (Morgan Freeman), Actress (Jessica Tandy) [O], Supporting Actor (Dan Aykroyd), Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup [O]
- The Hunt for Red October (1990, 63rd): Film Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Film Editing [O]
- Pretty Woman (1990, 63rd): Actress (Julia Roberts)
- Ladyhawke (1985, 58th) – $3,120,903 ($7,648,649 total) {week 2}
- Mask (1985, 58th) – $2,779,527 ($29,823,069 total) {week 7}
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984, 57th) – $1,975,685 ($205,953,481 total) {week 20}
- Witness (1985, 58th) – $1,370,496 ($54,508,584 total) {week 11}
- Amadeus (1984, 57th) – $991,391 ($44,389,359 total) {week 31}
- Ladyhawke (1985, 58th) – $9,942,933 ($24,367,949 total)
- Mask (1985, 58th) – $8,855,338 ($95,013,778 total)
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984, 57th) – $6,294,365 ($656,150,386 total)
- Witness (1985, 58th) – $4,366,284 ($173,659,742 total)
- Amadeus (1984, 57th) – $3,158,488 ($141,420,747 total)
- Amadeus (1984, 57th): Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (F. Murray Abraham [O], Tom Hulce), Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup [O], Sound [O]
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984, 57th): Original Screenplay
- Ladyhawke (1985, 58th): Sound, Sound Effects Film Editing
- Mask (1985, 58th): Makeup [O]
- Witness (1985, 58th): Picture, Directing, Actor (Harrison Ford), Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Film Editing [O], Art Direction
- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979, 52nd) – $1,800,000 ($84,740,206 total) {week 18}
- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979, 52nd) – $7,568,030 ($356,286,888 total)
- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979, 52nd): Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Dustin Hoffman) [O], Supporting Actor (Justin Henry), Supporting Actress (Meryl Streep) [O], Supporting Actress (Jane Alexander), Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Cinematography
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