Lorne Balfe (born 23 February 1976) is a Scottish composer of film, television, and video game score.
Early life and education Balfe was born in Inverness, Scotland. He went to Fettes College in Edinburgh, where he had a music scholarship.
Career A veteran of Hans Zimmer's Remote Control Productions, Balfe's scoring credits include the films Terminator Genisys, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, The Lego Batman Movie, Mission: Impossible – Fallout and its sequel Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Bad Boys for Life and its sequel Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Black Widow, Black Adam, Rumble, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Gran Turismo, Argylle, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, The Naked Gun, The Cat in the Hat, and three DreamWorks Animation films, including Megamind, Penguins of Madagascar, Home.
He has also scored the video games Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Assassin's Creed III, Crysis 2, Skylanders, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. He has also scored the television series The Bible, Marcella, The Crown, and Genius, the latter for which he earned a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music.
He also collaborates with the directors Michael Bay, Chris McKay, Christopher McQuarrie, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Mikael Håfström and Jaume Collet-Serra; and violinists Charlie Bisharat and Eun-Mee Ahn.
He composed the new fanfare for Skydance Media transcribed as There's a World, There's A Moon. Balfe also composed the Annapurna Pictures deep note opening logo.
Balfe is also involved in The Game Awards as the conductor of the Game Awards Orchestra and the composer and arranger of several musical performances performed at the show. Since The Game Awards 2018, he has composed a medley of the themes of the six nominees for Game of the Year every year as a presentation of the award at the end of the show.
Filmography Feature films Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes 2004 Crazy in Love Matt Routledge United Home EntertainmentStudio Bangkok Entertainment Co. Ltd. 2009Crying with Laughter Justin Molotnikov Brit FilmsCinetic Rights Management Nominated - World Soundtrack Award for Discovery of the Year 2010MegamindTom McGrathParamount PicturesDreamWorks AnimationPDI/DreamWorks Composed with Hans Zimmer. First score for an animated film. 2011The DilemmaRon HowardUniversal PicturesImagine EntertainmentSpyglass EntertainmentComposed with Hans ZimmerIroncladJonathan EnglishWarner Bros. Pictures 2012The SweeneyNick LoveEntertainment OneVertigo Films 2013The Frozen Ground Scott Walker Lionsgate Red WingWill WallaceGravitas Ventures Side by Side Arthur Landon Newtide FilmsNanny Films Not Another Happy EndingJohn McKayKaleidoscope Home EntertainmentSynchronicity Films Ltd.British Film Company Composed with Dan Michaelson2014Son of God Christopher Spencer 20th Century FoxLightworkers Media Composed with Hans Zimmer & Lisa GerrardBlackwood Adam Wimpenny Wildcard Films Words with GodsGuillermo ArriagaSegment: "God's Blood"GloriaChristian KellerPicturehouseNominated – Ariel Award for Best Original ScorePenguins of MadagascarEric DarnellSimon J. Smith20th Century FoxDreamWorks AnimationPDI/DreamWorks First solo work on a DreamWorks film without Hans Zimmer 2015HomeTim Johnson 20th Century FoxDreamWorks Animation Composed with StargateBone in the ThroatGraham HenmanUpload FilmsHello and CompanyDignity Film FinanceDoughJohn GoldschmidtTerminator GenisysAlan TaylorParamount PicturesSkydance Productions Replaced Christophe BeckTerminator themes by Brad FiedelSommeren '92Kasper BarfoedSF FilmComposed with Jeppe KaasCaptiveJerry JamesonParamount Pictures American HeroNick LoveScreen Media FilmsVertigo Films 201613 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of BenghaziMichael BayParamount Pictures3 Arts EntertainmentBay Films War on EveryoneJohn Michael McDonaghIcon Film Distribution 2017The Lego Batman MovieChris McKayWarner Bros. PicturesWarner Animation GroupDC EntertainmentRatPac EntertainmentLego System A/S Ghost in the ShellRupert SandersParamount PicturesDreamWorks Pictures Composed with Clint MansellChurchillJonathan TeplitzkyLionsgate The Florida ProjectSean Baker A24Cre FilmFreestyle Picture CompanyCinereachJune Pictures Orchestral version of "Celebration" by Kool & The GangGeostormDean DevlinWarner Bros. PicturesSkydance Media Replaced Pinar Toprak 201812 StrongNicolai FuglsigWarner Bros. PicturesLionsgateAlcon EntertainmentBlack Label MediaJerry Bruckheimer Films Torridon Films The Hurricane HeistRob CohenEntertainment Studios Pacific Rim UprisingSteven S. DeKnightUniversal PicturesLegendary PicturesDouble Dare You Productions Replaced John PaesanoMission: Impossible – FalloutChristopher McQuarrieParamount PicturesSkydance MediaBad RobotMission: Impossible themes by Lalo Schifrin2019GeorgetownChristoph WaltzVertical EntertainmentParamount Pictures Gemini ManAng LeeParamount PicturesSkydance MediaJerry Bruckheimer Films Replaced Marco BeltramiJunglelandMax WinklerVertical EntertainmentRomulus EntertainmentScott Free ProductionsMilitary WivesPeter CattaneoLionsgate6 UndergroundMichael BayNetflixSkydance Media2020Bad Boys for LifeAdil El ArbiBilall FallahColumbia PicturesDon Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer FilmsBad Boys themes by Mark Mancina Songbird Adam MasonSTXfilms 2021 Outside the Wire Mikael Håfström Netflix The Tomorrow War Chris McKay Amazon StudiosParamount PicturesSkydance Media Black WidowCate Shortland Walt Disney Studios Motion PicturesMarvel Studios Replaced Alexandre Desplat The Forgiven John Michael McDonagh Focus Features Silent Night Camille Griffin RLJE Films Rumble Hamish GrieveParamount PicturesParamount AnimationWWE Studios 2022Infinite StormMałgorzata SzumowskaMichał EnglertBleecker Street AmbulanceMichael BayUniversal PicturesAdditional Music by Adam PriceTop Gun: MaverickJoseph KosinskiParamount PicturesDon Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer FilmsSkydance Media Score producerComposed by Harold Faltermeyer, Hans Zimmer and Lady GagaSecret Headquarters Henry JoostAriel SchulmanParamount PicturesJerry Bruckheimer Films Black AdamJaume Collet-SerraWarner Bros. PicturesNew Line CinemaDC FilmsSeven Bucks ProductionsFlynnPictureCo. Ticket to ParadiseOl ParkerUniversal PicturesWorking Title FilmsSmokehouse PicturesRed Om Films 2023Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among ThievesJonathan GoldsteinJohn Francis DaleyParamount PictureseOne TetrisJon S. BairdApple TV+ Ghosted Dexter FletcherApple TV+ Gran Turismo Neill BlomkampColumbia PicturesPlayStation ProductionsTrigger Street Productions2.0 EntertainmentReplaced Stephen BartonComposed with Andrew KawczynskiMission: Impossible – Dead ReckoningChristopher McQuarrieParamount PicturesSkydance MediaMission: Impossible themes by Lalo SchifrinAdditional music by Max Aruj & Alfie Godfrey2024 ArgylleMatthew VaughnApple TV+Universal Pictures Bad Boys: Ride or Die Adil El ArbiBilall FallahColumbia PicturesDon Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer FilmsWestbrook Entertainment2.0 EntertainmentBad Boys themes by Mark Mancina Beverly Hills Cop: Axel FMark MolloyNetflixDon Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films Beverly Hills Cop themes by Harold Faltermeyer DecodedChen SichengChina Media CapitalAs One ProductionsBeijing Happy Pictures Composed with Kevin Riepl SlingshotMikael HåfströmAstral Pictures The Cut Sean Ellis Tea Shop ProductionsAmazing Owl Composed with Stuart Michael Thomas Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Nick ParkMerlin Crossingham NetflixAardman Animations Composed with Julian Nott Carry-On Jaume Collet-Serra Dylan Clark ProductionsDreamWorks PicturesNetflix (distributor) 2025 Novocaine Dan BerkRobert Olsen Paramount PicturesInfrared Pictures Composed with Andrew Kawczynski The Woman in the Yard Jaume Collet-Serra Blumhouse ProductionsHomegrown PicturesOmbra FilmsUniversal Pictures (distributor) The Naked Gun Akiva Schaffer Paramount PicturesFuzzy Door Productions Replaced Joel McNeely 2026 7 Dogs Adil El ArbiBilall Fallah General Entertainment AuthoritySela Only film scored by Balfe to be produced in Saudi Arabia The Cat in the Hat Alessandro CarloniErica Rivinoja Warner Bros. PicturesWarner Bros. Pictures AnimationDr. Seuss Enterprises
Additional music Year Title Director(s)Composer(s) Notes2002666 – Traue keinem, mit dem du schläfst!Rainer MatsutaniHenning Lohner2003Mimic 3: SentinelJ. T. Petty 2004Incident at Loch NessZak PennLaura's StarHans ZimmerHenning LohnerNick Glennie-Smith2005Hellraiser: DeaderRick BotaHenning LohnerBloodRayneUwe BollSanta's SlayDavid SteimanUncreditedWallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-RabbitSteve BoxNick ParkJulian Nott2006The Da Vinci CodeRon HowardHans ZimmerPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's ChestGore VerbinskiThe Killing of John LennonAndrew PiddingtonMartin KiszkoMakanaThe HolidayNancy MeyersHans Zimmer2007Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's EndGore VerbinskiTransformersMichael BaySteve JablonskyThe Simpsons MovieDavid SilvermanHans ZimmerBee MovieSimon J. Smith Steve HicknerRupert Gregson-Williams2008Iron ManJon FavreauRamin DjawadiAlso arrangerThe Dark KnightChristopher NolanHans ZimmerJames Newton HowardFrost/NixonRon HowardHans ZimmerAlso orchestratorMadagascar: Escape 2 AfricaEric DarnellTom McGrath2009Angels & DemonsRon HowardTransformers: Revenge of the FallenMichael BaySteve JablonskySherlock HolmesGuy RitchieHans ZimmerAlso score producer2010InceptionChristopher Nolan2011RangoGore VerbinskiKung Fu Panda 2Jennifer Yuh NelsonHans ZimmerJohn PowellSherlock Holmes: A Game of ShadowsGuy RitchieHans ZimmerAlso score producer2012Madagascar 3: Europe's Most WantedEric DarnellConrad VernonTom McGrathThe Dark Knight RisesChristopher Nolan2013The Lone RangerGore VerbinskiRushRon HowardCaptain PhillipsPaul GreengrassHenry JackmanUncredited2016Kung Fu Panda 3Jennifer Yuh NelsonAlessandro CarloniHans ZimmerAlso score producer2017DunkirkChristopher Nolan2019Looking UpDeng ChaoSteffen ThumAlso executive score producerAd AstraJames GrayMax Richter
Documentary films Year Title Director(s) Notes2013Girl RisingRichard RobbinsSalingerShane Salerno2014MannyLeon GastRyan MooreThe Last Man on the MoonMark CraigPantani: The Accidental Death of a CyclistJames ErskineAbove and BeyondRoberta Grossman2016Le Mans: 3DJames ErskineThe Fresco FiascoVictoria Wimpenny2018Studio 54Matt Tyrnauer2019Where's My Roy Cohn? 2020 Rebuilding Paradise Ron Howard Composed With Hans Zimmer 2024 Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid! Matt Tyrnauer 2025 We Are Storror Michael Bay
Short films Year Title Director(s) Notes 2002 Cigarette Oliver Moran 2003 Loved, Alone Indra Bhose 2010 Uganda: Friends of the Gorilla Rachel Layne McDonald Sodales Jessica Biel 2011 When You Find Me Bryce Dallas Howard J.A.W. Nate Parker 2013 Evermore Biz Stone Making a Scene Janusz Kamiński The Championship Rounds Daniel Stine 2014 Almost Home Todd Wilderman 2015 Wasted Beauty Martin Paves 2016 Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Scroll Rodolphe Guenoden Composed with John Powell and Hans Zimmer Alibi Cameron Burnett 2017 Them Nate James Williams Rakka Neill Blomkamp Main composer Firebase Zygote Adam: The Mirror Happy Birthday to Me Michael Reilly Composed with Max Aruj
Television Year Title Notes 2004 Shoebox Zoo 2005-06NovaDocumentary series2006-07How to Look Good Naked2007The Science of SuperstormsRiver CityMain theme by Hard Todd2009WWII in HDDocumentary series2012Restless 2013 The BibleMiniseriesComposed with Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard2014The Driver2015Sons of LibertyMiniseriesMain theme composed by Hans ZimmerA.D. The Bible ContinuesMiniseriesComposed with Hans ZimmerSaints & StrangersMiniseries2016The Story of God with Morgan FreemanDocumentary series2016-18The Investigator: A British Crime StoryMarcella 2017Le Mans: Racing Is EverythingDocumentary seriesThe Crown Main theme composed by Hans ZimmerComposed with Rupert Gregson-Williams 2017–presentGenius Main theme composed with Hans Zimmer