Mark Wahlberg stars as protagonist Evan McCauley/Treadway with no source-material character race or gender alterations; supporting roles like Nora (Sophie Cookson), Garrick (Liz Carr), and Artisan (Jason Mantzoukas) follow the book's premise without ideological reframing. The single notable element is Artisan's brief comedic line resenting 'gender labelling,' delivered as a one-off joke without elaboration, plot impact, or activist framing.

Casting features a mix of actors in original or adapted roles, but this remains incidental to the reincarnation-and-action premise rather than a narrative driver. Reception focused on derivative storytelling and Razzie nominations for Worst Picture, with zero documented 'woke' backlash or creator statements emphasizing social justice themes.