Burt Reynolds dead: Icon was due to film MAJOR new Quentin Tarantino movie this month

The legendary actor, 82, died yesterday – prompting a huge outpouring of tributes.

He was set to appear alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Al Pacino in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, in the role of George Spahn.

According to Variety, he was set to complete two days of filming at the end of September.

“My uncle was looking forward to working with Quentin Tarantino, and the amazing cast that was assembled,” Reynolds’ niece Nancy Lee Hess said in a statement to the US publication.

Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is expected to release on July 26, 2019, and it’s not known at this early stage who will play the role and if it will affect the release date.

The movie is set during the summer of the Manson murders – with the all-star ensemble also including Dakota Fanning, Lena Dunham, Emile Hirsch and Damian Lewis.

It’s about a TV actor and his stunt double embarking on something of an odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry in the late 1960s.

Spahn, the character meant for Reynolds, was an 80-year-old almost-blind man who rented out his LA ranch to film bosses to use as a shooting location.

Reynolds was a true Hollywood megastar – he shot to fame in 1972’s Deliverance and soon became a legend of his field.

He reportedly passed away from a heart attack and was surrounded by his family.

“My uncle was not just a movie icon, he was a generous, passionate and sensitive man who was dedicated to his family, friends, fans and acting students,” Hess told the BBC.

“He has had health issues, however, this was totally unexpected.”

She added: “I want to thank all of his amazing fans who have always supported and cheered him on, through all of the hills and valleys of his life and career.”

Sally Field, who starred opposite Reynolds in Smokey And The Bandit before embarking on a relationship with him until 1982, paid touching tribute to him.

“There are times in your life that are so indelible, they never fade away,” she told People.

“They stay alive, even forty years later. My years with Burt never leave my mind. He will be in my history and my heart, for as long as I live. Rest, Buddy.”