Scott Bowles

USA TODAY

No nominated Oscar films have seen a huge box-office surge

%27American Hustle%27 hottest with audiences since Jan. 16%27 Academy Award nominations

%2712 Years a Slave%27 could be big winner

Perhaps the axiom is true, at least for finalists: When it comes to the Academy Awards, being nominated really is the honor.

For studios, though, nominations mean dollars.

And while this year's crop of best-picture nominees hasn't experienced the sharp "Oscar bump" at the box office of years past, analysts say that's because most of the movies already over-performed.

All nine nominated movies remain in theaters nationwide, though they have grossed an average of just $8.3 million per film since nominees were announced Jan. 16, according to Box Office Mojo. Compare that with last year, when the nine movies averaged a bump of nearly $36 million. The year before, the average boost was $9.6 million.

Analysts point out that there's more than a month to go until the March 2 Oscars, so averages will rise — though no movie has been a post-nominations phenomenon like 2012's Silver Linings Playbook, which did $71 million in sales after its best-picture nod.

Among this year's slate, American Hustle has seen the biggest bump, doing more than $24.1 million since the nominations to bring its overall gross to $128.7 million. The smallest increase is that of Captain Phillips, which has done $1.3 million since being nominated, lifting its total to $106.3 million.

Of the films that stand to profit most from Oscar gold, it could be R-rated 12 Years a Slave, the drama that's done $5.1 million since its nominations despite expanding to 1,200 theaters.

"That's a tough movie to sell at the multiplex, particularly repeat viewing," says Jeff Bock, box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. "But it's already done great business ($44.2 million overall). And if it wins best picture, you'll see a big jump."

Paul Dergarabedian, chief analyst for box-office firm Rentrak, says that four of the movies — Hustle, Phillips, Gravity ($261.8 million) and The Wolf of Wall Street ($100 million) — have already crossed nine digits at turnstiles. And small-budget nominees such as Dallas Buyers Club ($21 million) and Philomena ($26.2 million) have done well, relatively speaking.

"Six of the nine movies opened in less than 20 theaters," he says. "That's impressive slow and steady growth. These movies are in a marathon, not a sprint."

NOMINEES DON'T FEEL USUAL JOLT

Films normally get a boost at the box office after they receive Oscar nominations for best picture. But with just over a month to go before the March 2 awards ceremony, this year's crop has seen mostly modest increases since the nominees announcement Jan. 16.

Gravity:

$5.4 million in box-office gross since nomination

$261.8 million total box-office gross

American Hustle:

$24.1 million since nomination

$128.7 million total

Captain Phillips:

$1.3 million since nomination

$106.3 million total

The Wolf of Wall Street:

$17.8 million since nomination

$100 million total

12 Years a Slave:

$5.1 million since nomination

$44.2 million total

Philomena:

$3.7 million since nomination

$26.2 million total

Dallas Buyers Club:

$4.1 million since nomination

$21 million total

Her:

$9.4 million since nomination

$19.8 million total

Nebraska:

$3.7 million since nomination

$12.3 million total

Source: Box Office Mojo