We take a look at what taking home Sunday’s big prize could do for this year’s Best Picture winner. By MTV News staff Jean Dujardin and Missi Pyle in “The Artist” Photo: The Weinstein Co. If the 2012 Oscars unfold as expected Sunday night, “The Artist” will walk away with a Best Picture win at the close of the ceremony. With that triumph, the silent, black-and-white film will become the second lowest-growing Best Picture winner in modern history. A populist fave, this movie is not. And that’s often the case. While box-office record-breaker “Titanic” took home the Academy’s top honor in 1998, the Best Picture ranks are littered with ho-hum performers. Some, like “Schindler’s List” and “Million Dollar Baby,” received huge bumps from their wins. “The Silence of the Lambs,” which hit theaters in February 1991, received no bump at all, as it was already out of theaters. Yet others received small re-releases and added a few million to their totals. To put the likely “Artist” win in historical context, MTV News took a look back at the past 20 years of Best Picture winners, ranking them from lowest to highest grossing (all figures come from Box Office Mojo and are not adjusted for inflation or ticket price). 20. “The Hurt Locker” Pre-show box office : $14.7 million Date of show : 3/7/2010 Date of release : 6/26/2009 Total box-office haul : $17 million 19. “Crash” Pre-show box office : $53.3 million Date of show : 3/5/2006 Date of release : 5/6/2005 Total box-office haul : $54.6 million 18. “Schindler’s List” Pre-show box office : $59.8 million Date of show : 3/21/1994 Date of release : 12/15/1993 Total box-office haul : $96.1 million 17. “The English Patient” Pre-show box office : $63.2 million Date of show : 3/24/1997 Date of release : 11/15/1996 Total box-office haul : $78.7 million 16. “No Country for Old Men” Pre-show box office : $64.3 million Date of show : 2/24/2008 Date of release : 11/9/2007 Total box-office haul : $74.3 million 15. “Million Dollar Baby” Pre-show box office : $64.9 million Date of show : 2/27/2005 Date of release : 12/15/2004 Total box-office haul : $100.5 million 14. “Shakespeare in Love” Pre-show box office : $73.2 million Date of show : 3/21/1999 Date of release : 12/11/1998 Total box-office haul : $100.3 million 13. “Braveheart” Pre-show box office : $73.3 million Date of show : 3/25/1996 Date of release : 5/24/1995 Total box-office haul : $75.6 million 12. “Unforgiven” Pre-show box office : $78.9 million Date of show : 3/29/1993 Date of release : 8/7/1992 Total box-office haul : $101.2 million 11. “Slumdog Millionaire” Pre-show box office : $98.4 million Date of show : 2/22/2009 Date of release : 11/12/2008 Total box-office haul : $141.3 million 10. “American Beauty” Pre-show box office : $108.5 million Date of show : 3/26/2000 Date of release : 9/15/1999 Total box-office haul : $130.1 9. “The King’s Speech” Pre-show box office : $114.2 million Date of show : 2/27/2011 Date of release : 11/26/2010 Total box-office haul : $135.5 million 8. “The Silence of the Lambs” Pre-show box office : $130.7 million Date of show : 3/30/1992 Date of release : 2/14/1991 Total box-office haul : $130.7 million 7. “The Departed” Pre-show box office : $131.4 million Date of show : 2/25/2007 Date of release : 10/6/2006 Total box-office haul : $132.4 million 6. “Chicago” Pre-show box office : $134.0 million Date of show : 3/23/2003 Date of release : 12/27/2002 Total box-office haul : $170.7 million 5. “A Beautiful Mind” Pre-show box office : $154.7 million Date of show : 3/24/2002 Date of release : 12/21/2001 Total box-office haul : $170.7 million 4. “Gladiator” Pre-show box office : $186.9 million Date of show : 3/25/2001 Date of release : 5/5/2000 Total box-office haul : $187.7 million 3. “Forrest Gump” Pre-show box office : $317.1 million Date of show : 3/27/1995 Date of release : 7/6/1994 Total box-office haul : $329.7 million 2. “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ” Pre-show box office : $364.1 million Date of show : 2/29/2004 Date of release : 12/17/2003 Total box-office haul : $377.0 million 20. “Titanic” Pre-show box office : $494.5 million Date of show : 3/23/1998 Date of release : 12/19/1997 Total box-office haul : $600.8 million The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Stick with us for everything you need to know leading up to the awards show, and head to Next Movie for a printable Oscar ballot. On Sunday, tune into MTV.com at 5 p.m. ET for our two-and-a-half-hour red-carpet live stream and updates on the night’s big winners. To join the live conversation, tweet @MTVNews with the hashtag #Oscars. Related Videos 2012 Oscar Nominees Related Photos 2012 Oscar Nominees
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Oscar Winners: 20 Years Of Best Picture Box-Office Rankings
