The Motion Picture Association of America.

In the United States, rating films is a voluntary system operated by The Motion Picture Association of America. Even though the system is voluntary, most theater chains will not show an unrated film.

The rating system is largely controlled by the people at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The committee will either like a movie, or not, and they assign the picture a particular rating. A less severe rating will be much more commercially viable, because it can been seen by the wildest possible audience, while a rating of NC-17 will limit marketability considerably. If the producer or director receives a NC-17 rating, he may not care to change the original content of the motion picture in order in order to garner a more marketable rating. Ultimately, most of these movies will become unrated.

In the United States, The Motion Picture Association of America rates all films.

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