Originally, this movie was supposed to be Matt Damon's directorial debut. But due to short time to prepare for the movie and also some creative conflicts, Damon dropped out as the director (but remained as an actor) and Gus Van Sant came aboard to direct.

According to NYTimes report, when Promised Land (2012) opened at the Southside Mall in Oneonta, NY in January 2013, some moviegoers wore buttons protesting hydraulic fracturing (i.e. fracking), and windows in town displayed signs warning of its possible environmental hazards. Meanwhile, pro-fracking citizens responded with homemade signs stating, 'Let's boost our local economy' and 'Support safe drilling and pipelines, jobs.'

The little girl who sells lemonade to Steve Butler (actress Lennon Wynn) is featured in the series of Verizon's "Susie's Lemonade" commercials.

Over 80 percent of the film crew was based out of Pittsburgh.

When Steve gets hit in the face on a bar, there's a song playing called "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues", the title of a 1993 movie directed by Gus Van Sant, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993).