Brett Maverick is a fictitious character based on a TV series by Warner Brothers in the 50s. His name originally means being independent and nonconformist with wandering from place to place. He and his brother Bart are gamblers who migrate from town to town always looking for a good game in order to make lots of money. They prefer playing poker or any other gambles and often get into trouble with law. Instead of fighting they prefer leaving town.

The western program was quite successful in the 1950s. First it was seen as a drama but later developed a sense of humour and satire. James Garner took the part of Brett Maverick in the TV series. In the late 70s and 80s another attempt was made to produce a remake of the show but after several seasons the shows were soon cancelled.

In 1994 Richard Donner directed a blockbuster movie remake with Mel Gibson as hero and James Garner as his sidekick. In the film Mel Gibson tries to raise money in order to take part in a poker tournament on a steamboat. In the final gambling scene Gibson is the winner but James Coburn (owner of the riverboat) intends to steal the large profit sum. He joins forces with a woman gambler (Jodie Foster) and after a series of challenges the story comes to a light-hearted but surprising end.