A single Black supporting character, John (Michael Ajao), serves as Ellie's brief love interest and classmate but features in a scene where Ellie threatens to call police on him, drawing criticism for tone-deaf handling. No established characters from prior source material are race- or gender-swapped, and there is no prominent LGBTQ+ representation or identity-politics subplots.

Creator statements emphasize toxic masculinity and exploitation of women as intentional scary themes, giving the film noticeable progressive framing on gender dynamics that influences character arcs and thematic resolution beyond pure genre conventions. Audience and critic reactions were mixed, with some labeling the anti-male tilt or twist as heavy-handed, but the story remains a traditional psychological thriller without overt lectures or DEI-driven casting mandates.