Intertextuality!

I really enjoyed this lecture as it basically dealt with how nothing is original anymore, and why references and parodies of other films are so appealing.

There is unconscious intertextuality which means the author has been influenced by another piece of work they have seen in the past and are taking certain aspects of the original without realising it.

Then there is self-conscious which means that the author is aware that he is taking aspects from other works, for instance in parodies and spoofs.

One example that I noticed and have tried to explain to a friend in the past is the similarities between characters from Starcraft and Warhammer 40k

Terran Marine - Starcraft 2                     Ultramarine - Warhammer 40k

 Now one person could easily argue that Starcraft is 'ripping off' Warhammer 40k by making their character so similar. It is essentially a human in a large suit of armour, a breathing apparatus on the back, and an oversized gun. The whole 'Power Armour' system was first made popular in the novel Starship Troopers, later made into a film in 1997. 

The whole look of the armour from Starcraft and Warhammer 40k is extremely similar to Astronauts. Therefore while people will state that these characters are copying others from other works of fiction, they are  just following the similar idea of our current technology progressing, and what would be required to walk on the surface of other unknown planets.