In the late 1960s, William Goldman's screenplay for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" attracted little studio interest because executives objected to the protagonists fleeing to Bolivia, viewing this as incompatible with Hollywood's heroic archetype. After Goldman preserved the core storyline whilst making minor adjustments, multiple studios became interested. Paul Newman and Steve McQueen were initially attached, but when McQueen departed, Robert Redford emerged as the leading candidate for the Sundance Kid role, having recently built momentum with supporting performances in commercial films.

20th Century Fox worried that pairing its major investment with Newman—who was 12-13 years older and far better established—alongside the unproven Redford represented an unacceptable financial risk. However, Newman recognised the importance of screen chemistry and advocated strongly for Redford after their introduction by director George Roy Hill. When Newman, Hill, and Goldman collectively pressed Fox to accept Redford, the studio reluctantly agreed, a decision that proved pivotal in launching Redford's subsequent career as a major Hollywood star.