IT is one of those very normal conversations between parent and child, when the boy asks his dad if he can stay out late. "You stay out till 10.30pm sometimes," says dad. "I know," smiles the 12-year-old. But this is not a normal family – it's Will Smith and his son Jaden.

And they're not having their chat in private, but in front of the world's media at a press conference for Jaden's film, The Karate Kid.

He is seated between his dad and his co-star Jackie Chan, while his mum Jada proudly looks on.

FILM FOCUS: The A-Team

The Karate Kid has already 'kicked ass' at the US box office, beating The A-Team in its opening weekend, and looks set to do the same over here.

But if Jaden is smug about his success, he's not showing it. It's parents and film co-producers Will and Jada, who are shouting it from the rooftops.

"The Karate Kid three-day box office in the United States was $56 million, which was bigger than any of my movies, other than Hancock and I Am Legend, so I'm beginning to wonder if he even needs to live at our house anymore..." jokes Will.

With his first leading role getting rave reviews, Jaden is very much his father's son but there's a marked difference in their personalities. Will, 41, is all big smiles, whoops and jokes, while Jaden listens intently to all the questions and, although he speaks little, his responses are considered. It's only his fevered doodling that reminds you he's 12.

The film is a remake of the 1984 classic which had Ralph Macchio playing Daniel Larusso, who learns karate from Mr Miyagi (Pat Morita) to overcome bullies.

In director Harald Zwart's version, the action has moved to Beijing, where young Dre Parker moves with his mum and finds it hard to fit in.

Jackie Chan effortlessly takes on the mentor role as maintenance man Mr Han, who, reluctantly at first, teaches Dre kung fu.

It was shot on location in China over four months and Zwart insisted on using a pared-back crew to make the scenes look as authentic (and un-Hollywood) as possible.

Scenes were shot against epic backdrops of The Great Wall, The Forbidden City and in the steep Wudang Mountains, where Mr Han teaches Dre how to fight – and to understand the spirit of kung fu.

When asked what his favourite thing about China was, Jaden jokes: "I had hamburgers the whole time."

Will chips in: "You were on The Great Wall, that had to be cool?"

"You made me run on The Great Wall," replies Jaden, without missing a beat.

Will, best known for his action movies, including Men In Black, Independence Day and I, Robot, married actress Jada Pinkett in 1997. They have a nine-year-old daughter, Willow, as well as Jaden, who also played Will's son in The Pursuit Of Happyness (2006).

"He's truly his own thing," says Will. "He has the best of Jada and me. It's just amazing that you can go to Mexico, drink some tequila and then he shows up nine months later," he jokes, as Jaden raises his eyes to heaven.

Both parents are well aware of the dangers facing child stars who have success at an early age, but they insist Jaden will be better prepared than most.

"Will and I have talked about this a lot," says Jada, 38. "One of the advantages that Jaden has is that his parents have been doing this for a long time, so we really understand the industry. And when your dad is still the biggest movie star in the world, it kind of keeps everything grounded!"

Will adds: "Child stars are generally broken by the pressure of being the breadwinner of a household at 14-years-old, and you almost lose that parent-child relationship. I hope that we have a bit of a handle on it and we're focusing very closely on his energy, desire and love for acting.

"He has the mentality it takes to bear the weight of the success this film is going to bring to his life."

And Will is only slightly jealous of his son...

"People started calling me the Karate Kid's dad, I was like, 'Alright, Men In Black 2 is out immediately!'"