I don't have an issue with that. It's like a jersey number. It's not like they're saying James Bond is now a female.

It seems reasonable to me that fans could get upset about major changes to a character that they like. It's their money that supports these entertainment franchises and allows them to exist in the first place.

Those fans can vote with their wallet. Maybe a female 007 will bring in enough new fans to offset the ones that thing a damsel in distress is the most precious thing in the world. Maybe not. But it doesn't bother me that they're trying new stuff.

This reminds me of the female Ghostbusters remake. The world survived that sacrilege.

Think of your favorite TV show or movie franchise - you seriously claim that it wouldn't bother you at all if the lead character was turned into an anthropomorphic butternut squash? I just really doubt that.

LoTR might be the closest thing. The hobbits as anthropomorphic butternut squashes would be a riot. I'd totally watch. And IMO it'd be way less sacrilegious to the source material than what Peter Jackson did to The Hobbit, which I managed to also survive.