Serendipity (film) at Bloomingdale's, enjoying champagne on their anniversary at the same spot where they first met. "Serendipity" was shot in New Jersey, New York City, Ontario, and San Francisco, California in the spring of 2001. Following the 9/11 attacks, images of the World Trade Center towers were digitally removed from all skyline shots of New York City. "Serendipity" premiered at the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival. The film opened at #2 at the U.S. box office earning $13,309,241 in its opening weekend, behind "Training Day". With an estimated budget of $28 million, this was the first of Chelsom's films to turn
Kate Beckinsale but it was not well-reviewed. Mick LaSalle of the "San Francisco Chronicle" described her as "a pretty actress doing her best to maintain dignity, vainly trying to craft a feminist statement from a filmmaker's whimsy" while Rex Reed of "The New York Observer" felt she was "desperately in need of a new agent." Also in 2004, Beckinsale portrayed Ava Gardner in Martin Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic "The Aviator". Scorsese decided to cast Beckinsale because, "I've always liked her. I've seen all her work, and I was glad that she agreed to audition." Beckinsale's performance received mixed reviews. Ken Tucker of