White House Down Trivia

• The White House Tour Guide mentions that they're in the part that was blown up in Independence Day. Roland Emmerich, this film's director, also directed Independence Day.
• Apart from a couple of second unit shots of Washington D.C. and one scene shot in a park, all filming took place on sound stages in Montreal, Canada, with extensive blue screen techniques used to create the "world" around each set where required.
• Though it may be considered an error by some the patch on the Task Force 160's helicopter pilot's shoulder showing the symbol of the 82nd Airborne Division is correct. By military tradition any soldier is allowed to wear the insignia of a unit s/he had served in combat on the right shoulder of their uniform...their current assignment insignia would be on the left.
• Initially rated PG in the Canadian province of Ontario, but the Ontario Film Review Board decided to revise the rating upward to 14A on August 21st, 2013, even though the movie had been in release for almost two months by that point.
• While Olympus Has Fallen relied more on a battle for Washington, D.C, the terrorists here rely more on intellect and surprise to take over the White House. Many see White House Down's approach as still unrealistic, but more likely than Olympus Has Fallen's.
• The filmmakers said that White House Down was inspired mainly by Air Force One and Die Hard. There were also some nods to The Rock thrown in, with the villains' motivation.
• Most of the deaths were achieved by being shot off-screen or blown up to secure a more profitable PG-13 rating.
• Many people note numerous similarities between John McClane and John Cale, including their stained undershirt, protection of estranged loved ones, intellect, humor and fighting for the safety of others rather than to restore faith in themselves like the new stereotypical action hero. 
• The character of James Sawyer has recieved some controversy for seeming to be based almost entirely on president Obama. Jamie Foxx, who ad-libbed many of the character's memorable lines, has denied these allegations, although he has acknowledged that a few of the character's trademarks are references to the president, including nicorette gum and Air Jordans.
• Matt Craven says the line at one point, "Well, there's something you don't see every day." That line was also spoken by Bill Murray in Ghostbusters. Matt appeared in Bill's screen debut Meatballs in 1979.
• The ring-tone that was heard repetitively in the film on Richard Jenkins' mobile cell phone was "Spanish Flea" as performed by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.