144 million for this? wow....they kinda have to. Unlike all the 30-50mil movies feig has made, this one cost 144 million, which is well in to "blockbuster" status.
If they wanted strong female leads led by a somewhat SJW director, why not just give those $144 million to Joss Whedon so he could do more Firefly? That show is filled with much stronger female characters who are actually good. Money so he could reboot show without Serenity as canon to bring back Wash.