This change, driven by director Paul Feig's explicit intent to empower women in comedy and challenge traditional portrayals, prioritizes feminist activism over storytelling fidelity, resulting in a reboot that mocks and erases the original's charm while delivering unfunny, grating humor. Casting enforces DEI mandates with Leslie Jones as Patty Tolan, the non-scientist black subway worker relegated to 'street smarts' comic relief—a role criticized even by progressives for perpetuating racial stereotypes and clashing with the team's expertise-driven premise.

Chris Hemsworth's portrayal of the ditzy male secretary further inverts gender norms in a preachy, role-reversal gimmick that feels forced rather than organic. Feig's interviews frame the massive backlash as misogynistic or Trump-fueled hate, ignoring the film's objective flaws like poor writing, lackluster plot, and nostalgia exploitation.

Audience reception was damning: widespread labeling as 'woke' and 'DEI disaster,' review bombing (audience RT score in the low 50s% vs. critics' 74%), and box office underperformance relative to expectations, marking it as an early harbinger of 'go woke, go broke' where ideological intrusions supplanted quality comedy and fan loyalty.