Mission: Impossible

For the unrelated 1984 game, see Impossible Mission.

This article is about the multimedia franchise. For other uses, see Mission: Impossible (disambiguation).

Mission: Impossible is an American multimedia franchise based on a fictional secret espionage agency known as the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). The 1966 TV series ran for seven seasons and was revived in 1988 for two seasons. It inspired a series of theatrical motion pictures starring Tom Cruise beginning in 1996.

Mission: Impossible
Series logo
Created by	Bruce Geller
Original work	Mission: Impossible (1966)
Owner	Paramount Pictures
Years	1966–present
Films and television
Film(s)	Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob Film series
Television series	Mission: Impossible (1966–1973) Mission: Impossible (1988–1990)
Games
Video game(s)	Mission: Impossible (1990) Mission: Impossible (1998) Mission: Impossible (1999/2000) Mission: Impossible – Operation Surma (2003)
Audio
Soundtrack(s)	Music from Mission: Impossible Mission: Impossible Mission: Impossible: Score Music from and Inspired by Mission: Impossible 2 Mission: Impossible 2: Score Mission: Impossible III Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Mission: Impossible – Fallout Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Original music	"Theme from Mission: Impossible" "I Disappear" "Scum of the Earth" "Take a Look Around"

As of 2025, the film series has grossed approximately $4.74 billion worldwide, ranking it among the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.^[1]

The most recent installment, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, premiered in Tokyo on May 5, 2025, and was released internationally on May 23. It earned about $598 million worldwide, including $197.4 million in the U.S. and Canada and $400.6 million internationally, making it the highest-opening entry in the series and the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2025.^[2]

Although its title suggests finality, franchise star Tom Cruise gave mixed signals. At the Cannes premiere, he said, “It’s the final … it’s not called final for nothing,” while in other interviews he expressed interest in continuing the role into his eighties.^[3][4]

Legacy

The franchise’s signature theme music, composed in 5/4 time by Lalo Schifrin for the 1966 series, incorporates the Morse code for “M.I.” Schifrin’s composition became an enduring cultural hallmark, earning Grammy recognition. Schifrin died in June 2025 at age 93, with obituaries widely highlighting his influence on spy film music.^[5]

Several actors have spoken about their experiences with the films. Jeremy Renner, who appeared in Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation, did not return for later installments due to family commitments, stating he prioritized raising his daughter over extended location filming.^[6] Hayley Atwell, who debuted as Grace in Dead Reckoning, noted she spent over five years with the franchise, including extensive reshoots, describing it as both physically demanding and creatively rewarding.^[7]

Media

Television series

Overview Mission: Impossible television series

Title	Release	Seasons	Episodes	Note(s)
Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)	1966–1973	7	171 episodes
Mission: Impossible (1988 TV series)	1988–1990	2	35 episodes

Films

Main article: Mission: Impossible (film series)

Overview of Mission: Impossible films

Title	Release date	Note(s)
Mission: Impossible vs. the Mob	1967	Released theatrically in Europe and Australia.
Mission: Impossible	May 22, 1996	Part of the Mission: Impossible film series.
Mission: Impossible 2	May 24, 2000
Mission: Impossible III	May 5, 2006
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol	December 16, 2011
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation	July 31, 2015
Mission: Impossible – Fallout	July 27, 2018
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning	July 12, 2023
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning	May 23, 2025

Soundtracks

Overview of Mission: Impossible soundtracks

Title	Release date	Note(s)
Music from Mission: Impossible	1967
More Mission: Impossible	1969
Mission: Impossible (Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture)	May 14, 1996
Mission: Impossible – (Music from the Original Motion Picture Score)	June 18, 1996
Music from and Inspired by Mission: Impossible 2	May 9, 2000
Mission: Impossible 2 (Music from the Original Motion Picture Score)	June 13, 2000
Mission: Impossible III (Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)	May 9, 2006
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (Music from the Motion Picture)	December 13, 2011
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (Music from the Motion Picture)	July 24, 2015
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (Music from the Motion Picture)	July 13, 2018
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Music from the Motion Picture)	July 12, 2023
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Music from the Motion Picture)	May 23, 2025

Video games

Overview of Mission: Impossible video games

Title	Platform	Release date	Note(s)
Spy Daisakusen[8]	PC-8800 series	1982	Based on the 1966 TV series. Released in Japan only.
	Sharp MZ
Mission: Impossible	NES	1990	Based on the 1988 TV series revival.
Mission: Impossible[9]	MS-DOS	1991
Mission: Impossible	N64	1998	Based on the 1996 film.
	PSX	1999
Mission: Impossible	GBC	2000
Mission: Impossible – Operation Surma	GBA	2003
	Xbox
	PS2
	GC
Mission: Impossible III	J2ME	2006	Developed by Gameloft
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation	iOS	2015	Developed by Glu
	Android
Lego Dimensions - Mission: Impossible	PS3	2016	Expansion pack for Lego Dimensions. Based on the Mission: Impossible film series.
	PS4
	Xbox One
	Xbox 360
	Wii U

Books

Overview of Mission: Impossible books

Title	Release date	Author	Note(s)
Mission: Impossible 1	1967	Walter Wager (credited as John Tiger)	Part of a series
Mission: Impossible 2: Code Name: Judas	1968	Jim Lawrence (credited as Max Walker)
Mission: Impossible 3: Code Name: Rapier
Mission: Impossible 4: Code Name: Little Ivan	1969	Walter Wager (credited as John Tiger)
Mission: Impossible: The Priceless Particle	1969	Talmage Powell	Part of a series
Mission: Impossible: The Money Explosion	1970
Mission Impossible	1996	Peter Barsocchini	Novelization to the Tom Cruise film
Mission Impossible: The Aztec Imperative		James Luceno	Tie-in series to the film series
Mission Impossible: Ring of Fire		Tom Philbin
Mission Impossible: The Doomsday Summit

Comics

Overview of Mission: Impossible comics

Title	Release date	Note(s)
Mission: Impossible	1967	Five-issue series; published by Dell Comics.
Mission: Impossible	1973	Comic strip published in TV Action. Art by John M. Burns.
Mission: Impossible	1996	Tie-in prequel one-shot to the 1996 film. Published by Marvel Comics. Written by Marv Wolfman, art by Rob Liefeld et al.

Cast and characters

Main article: List of Mission: Impossible (TV series) characters

See also: Mission: Impossible (film series)

Overview of Mission: Impossible cast and characters

Character	TV series		Film
	Mission: Impossible (1966)	Mission: Impossible (1988)	Mission: Impossible	Mission: Impossible 2	Mission: Impossible III	Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol	Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation	Mission: Impossible – Fallout	Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning	Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Dan Briggs	Steven Hill
Cinnamon Carter	Barbara Bain
Barney Collier	Greg Morris
Willy Armitage	Peter Lupus
Jim Phelps	Peter Graves		Jon Voight
Rollin Hand	Martin Landau
The Great Paris	Leonard Nimoy
Dana Lambert	Lesley Warren
Dr. Doug Robert	Sam Elliott
Lisa Casey	Lynda Day George
Nicholas Black		Thaao Penghlis
Max Harte		Tony Hamilton
Grant Collier		Phil Morris
Casey Randall		Terry Markwell
Shannon Reed		Jane Badler
Ethan Hunt			Tom Cruise
Luther Stickell			Ving Rhames
Eugene Kittridge			Henry Czerny						Henry Czerny
Benji Dunn					Simon Pegg
Julia Meade					Michelle Monaghan			Michelle Monaghan
William Brandt						Jeremy Renner
Ilsa Faust							Rebecca Ferguson
Alan Hunley							Alec Baldwin
Solomon Lane							Sean Harris
Alanna Mitsopolis White Widow								Vanessa Kirby
Erica Sloane								Angela Bassett		Angela Bassett
Denlinger									Cary Elwes
Grace									Hayley Atwell
Jasper Briggs									Shea Whigham
Gabriel									Esai Morales
Paris									Pom Klementieff