Ranking the Box Office Results of the Last 30 Best Picture Winners, Adjusted for Inflation

By Dustin Rowles | Box Office Round-Ups | January 14, 2013 |

By Dustin Rowles | Box Office Round-Ups | January 14, 2013 |

At the box office this weekend, Zero Dark Thirty expanded nation-wide and racked up an impressive $24 million, which suggests that not only did the Oscar nomination help, but many people might have turned out to see if Kathryn Bigelow truly was snubbed of a Best Director nomination (she was) (alternative theory for why it performed so well: Because it’s a really good movie). In fact, the wide release of Zero Dark Thirty put down the two new releases, A Haunted House (an embarassing $18 million) and Gangster Squad ($16.7 million). Two other Oscar nominees for Best Picture continued to chug along, too: Django Unchained added $11 million to raise its total to $125 million, while Les Mis added $10 million, good for $119 million overall. Among other Best Picture nominees, Silver Linings Playbook sits at $41 million; Lincoln has made $152 million; Life o Pi ($94 million), and Argo ($111 million).

However, among this year’s nominees, there are zero that will ever climb atop the list of highest grossing movies among Best Picture winners (adjusted for inflation), but two that could potentially break the record for lowest grossing Best Picture winner. The bad news for Kathryn Bigelow is that her Hurt Locker holds that title; the good news is, if Zero Dark Thirty wins, it’s already surpassed The Hurt Locker. However, Beasts of the Southern Wild ($11 million) could fall below The Hurt Locker (but likely would not, with a re-release likely to push it to number two) and Amour ($650,000), should it win, would almost certainly take the title.

At any rate, I took the liberty of going back 30 years and adjusting the Best Picture winners for inflation, and the rankings, I think, might be surprising.

30. The Hurt Locker (2009) — $17 million

29. The Artist (2012) — $43 million

28. Crash (2005) — $66 million

27. No Country for Old Men (2007) — $82 million

26. The Last Emperor (1987) — $83 million

25. Amadeus (1984) — $115 million

24. Million Dollar Baby (2004) — $122 million

23. Ghandi (1982) — $130 million

22. The English Patient (1996) — $134 million

21. Braveheart (1995) — $134 million

20. The King’s Speech (2011) — $137 million

19. Slumdog Millionaire (2008) — $153 million

18. Shakespeare in Love (1998) — $154 million

17. The Departed (2006) — $156 million

16. Schindler’s List (1993) — $178 million

15. Out of Africa (1985) — $185 million

14. Unforgiven (1989) — $189 million

13. American Beauty (1999) — $193 million

12. Driving Miss Daisy (1989) — $196 million

11. Chicago (2002) — $220 million

10. A Beautiful Mind (2001) — $228 million

9. Silence of the Lambs (1991) — $241 million

8. Terms of Endearment (1983) — $255 million

7. Gladiator (2000) — $270 million

6. Platoon (1986) — $275 million

5. Rain Man (1988) — $336 million

4. Dances with Wolves (1990) — $339 million

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) — $478 million

2. Forrest Gump (1994) — $611 million

1. Titanic (1997) — $998 million