Oscar Nominations: ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ Leads Commercially-Weak List Of Nominees; Which Best Picture Nominee Will Gain The Most At The Box Office?

With $173 million in the bank globally, The Grand Budapest Hotel is the strongest earner of the eight Best Picture nominees. Yet it’s clear that with a promising nationwide expansion coming this weekend–BoxOffice.com predicts $57 million over four days–American Sniper has the most to gain commercially now that the nominations are out. BoxOffice projects that the eight nominees could earn more than $340 million domestically post nods.

Selma is positioned well since its expansion only started last weekend. The Imitation Game is in the middle of its run, but it could end up doubling its current total thanks not only to the Best Picture nomination but also publicity from Benedict Cumberbatch’s Best Actor nod. (The Theory of Everything will benefit in a similar way.) Boyhood and The Grand Budapest Hotel will gain the least theatrically since they are already available on home-viewing platforms.

The eight Best Picture nominees have grossed a combined $209.2 million as of Tuesday. In 2013, the Best Picture nominees had already earned $648.7 million domestic before nominations, and then posted a combined $164 million in domestic gains earned after nominations. 2012 delivered bigger gains with $376.5 million after nominations were announced. The 2012 crop of nominees had $625.6 million in the bank before nomination morning.

Here are key stats for this year’s Best Picture nominees:

American Sniper
Domestic Gross as of 1/12/15: $3.3 million
Projected Final Domestic Gross (by BoxOffice.com): $200 million
Global Gross as of 1/11/15: $14.6 million

Birdman
Domestic Gross as of 1/12/15:
$26.5 million
Projected Final Domestic Gross: $45 million
Global Gross as of 1/11/15: $34.4 million

Boyhood
Domestic Gross as of 1/12/15:
$24.3 million
Projected Final Domestic Gross: $35 million
Global Gross as of 1/11/15: $45.2 million 

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Domestic Gross as of 1/12/15:
$59.1 million
Projected Final Domestic Gross: $65 million
Global Gross as of 1/11/15: $173.8 million

The Imitation Game
Domestic Gross as of 1/12/15:
$42.0 million
Projected Final Domestic Gross: $80 million
Global Gross as of 1/11/15: $73.1 million

Selma
Domestic Gross as of 1/12/15:
$15.5 million
Projected Final Domestic Gross: $75 million
Global Gross as of 1/11/15: $15.5 million

The Theory of Everything
Domestic Gross as of 1/12/15:
$26.1 million
Projected Final Domestic Gross: $45 million
Global Gross as of 1/11/15: $46.4 million

Whiplash
Domestic Gross as of 1/12/15:
$6.0 million
Projected Final Domestic Gross: $15 million
Global Gross as of 1/11/15: $10.6 million

Expected Combined Domestic Gains from all 8 films after nominations: $346.4 million