Ghostbusters director Paul Feig has said the backlash to his female-led film was “terrible”.

The film provoked a furious reaction from certain audiences, who criticised the production for its perceived political correctness and unoriginality.

Feig said he has lost patience for any invective directed at entertainment after the film attracted the anger of male gamers online. Paul Feig was shocked by the reaction (Ian West/PA)

The director said that he has attempted to bring women to the forefront of his work after noticing their relegated position in cinema.

Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Feig said the 2016 release of Ghostbusters, which was announced with a largely downvoted online trailer, became an unexpected career trauma for its inclusion of women.

He said: “It was really terrible. I like to try and minimise it but it was awful. No-one was expecting it.

“You wake up and you are like ‘oh my god’.

Paul Feig has signed up to do the 4% Challenge where he will work with a female director over the next 18 months. “Anyone with power needs to do it,” he says. #EdTVFest — EdinburghTVFestival (@EdinburghTVFest) August 23, 2019

“I always had a really nice relationship with the internet before that.

“We awakened all those Gamergate guys. They had destroyed lives long before they came for us.

“Our world runs on outrage right now. I’m so tired of people being so angry about stupid shit.

“Stop getting so angry about entertainment. Go back in the f****** cave they came out of man.”

Talking with presenter Sue Perkins at the Edinburgh TV Festival, the creator of Freaks And Geeks said that he has always attempted to promote women in his work, regardless of the backlash.

He said: “Comedy has ghettoised women for so long.

“I used to watch comedies where women were relegated to just being props.”

Feig has announced that his latest venture is a Christmas film created by Emma Thompson, which will feature Emilia Clarke in the lead role.

- Press Association