Apart from a couple of second unit shots of Washington DC 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.
The book by author Vince Flynn, "Transfer of Power," was basis for both of the movie plots used in "White House Down" and "Olympus Has Fallen (2013)" in 2013.
Channing Tatum was not interested in making the film at first because he had resolved not to play any characters who spent the entire movie holding a gun, but he liked the script and decided to meet to discuss the role of John Cale with Roland Emmerich; the meeting went so well that Tatum agreed to take the role immediately afterwards.
They shot the entire film on sound stages; none of the first unit shooting was done on location. This was done so Roland Emmerich could have complete control of the exteriors onstage.
Matt Craven plays Agent Roy Kellerman. Roy Kellerman was the name of the secret service agent that was seated in the front seat of the presidential limousine when President Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.