How Much Does a Movie Cost to Make and Market? Can We Trust the Numbers from the Major Motion Picture Distributors?

The Motion Picture Association of America used to provide detailed information each year about the trends in movie production and marketing costs. In 2009 that practice came to an end. In March 2009, the NY Times reported on why the 2008 MPAA "state of the business" report has been streamlined and the studios are no longer reporting their costs in such detail.