Who composed the signature theme music used in the Mission: Impossible film series?

Lalo Schifrin composed the signature theme music used in the Mission: Impossible film series.

Schifrin originally wrote the theme for the Mission: Impossible television series, which premiered in 1966. Its distinctive rhythm is based on an unusual 5/4 time signature, helping it stand out from conventional television themes. The melody became closely associated with covert operations and espionage.

The films retained Schifrin’s theme while giving it new orchestral arrangements. Danny Elfman composed the score for the first 1996 film, and later composers, including Hans Zimmer, Michael Giacchino, Joe Kraemer and Lorne Balfe, created scores for subsequent entries. Their arrangements quote or develop Schifrin’s original material.

A common mix-up is to credit the film composers with creating the theme itself. Schifrin created the recognizable composition; later composers mainly adapted it within their individual film scores.