After this mildly popular effort, Gibson returned to rowdy commercial fare with Maverick (1994), an adaptation of the '60s TV western-comedy series, which shrewdly parlayed his dashing rogue qualities into solid box-office success.

Gibson returned to the director's chair for Braveheart (1995), a project far bigger than any with which he had been previously involved in any capacity. Clad in a kilt, sporting blue war paint and wielding a big sword, Gibson starred as Sir William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish nobleman persecuted for his efforts to free Scotland from English rule. Wags dubbed the film "Mad Mac."

Later that same year, in addition to providing the speaking voice for John Smith in Disney's Pocahontas, Gibson also made his screen singing debut. Aside from making Gibson vehicles, his ICON Productions has also produced other projects including the Beethoven biopic Immortal Beloved (1994) a Michael Mann-directed cop film that delighted critics.

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