Director Kevin Macdonald and his producers met Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni to get permission to film in Uganda. "He really responded to the idea that we wanted to make a film about Ugandan history in the same way that everybody we met responded," recalls Macdonald. "They wanted this story to be told. They didn't feel prejudiced against us because we were foreigners wanting to tell their story - they were very generous, and the president gave us carte blanche and even allowed us to film in the parliament building while parliament was in session. We also had the co-operation of the army and we were allowed to close down the main street in the city."
It is the first Western production shot in Uganda since Mississippi Masala (1991) in 1990.
The airplane shown at the very end taking the hijack victims to safety is an Antonov An-12BK.
"The Last King of Scotland" is a moniker that Amin bestowed on himself.
The Times journalist is played by Dr. Dick Stockley who is a British doctor who lives and works in Kampala, Uganda.
The film opened on general release in Uganda on February 23rd 2007.
In the first scene in the village, where Idi Amin does his speech one of the spectators can be seen wearing a boy scout uniform with a Canadian flag on the chest.
The black Mercedes presidential limousine used in the film had actually been Amin's.
Idi Amin's full title is as follows "His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular".
According to Forest Whitaker, he stayed in character as Idi Amin even when he was not on the set.
On the DVD director's commentary, Kevin Macdonald states that during filming of Idi Amin's visit to the village near the mission, many of the local extras thought it was the real Idi Amin on stage giving speeches.
The movie was based on the book by Giles Foden, who also cameos as a British Journalist at the press conference held by Amin.