Smith seeks 'Karate' advice from Macchio

Will Smith has called upon original Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio to advise his young son about starring in the remake.

Ten-year-old Jaden Smith has been confirmed to reprise Macchio's role of a young boy who learns to stand up to bullies in Columbia's reworking of the 1984 movie.

Speaking to E! News, Macchio said: "It was very cool. He called and said, 'Would you mind getting on the phone with my son?' I felt like Yoda to young Skywalker."

Discussing his previous remarks that the martial arts movie should not be remade, he admitted that he may have "spoken too candidly about that at first".

However, he reiterated his belief that the forthcoming reboot should forge its own identity, saying: "I really think for the sake of the connection to those films and certainly the original film, I think that they're going to want to create their own version of it that is its own thing."

He added that he would not be filming a cameo appearance but if he was offered "a character, a written role" then he "would not turn away looking at that. I support them making their own hit franchise."

Macchio starred in the first three Karate Kid movies before Hilary Swank took over the lead role in the fourth instalment.