How original is it to ask if SF has lost its originality?

Prashant Raju over at Jumbabox asks "Has Science Fiction lost its originality?" Prashant's reasoning is that several of the characters from the upcoming Hellboy II: The Golden Army movie are extremely similar to previously seen characters in Stargate, Star Wars and Pan's Labyrinth. Since Guillermo del Toro directed both Hellboy II and Pan's Labyrinth, I don't think that's a fair comparison--after all, authors and directors tend to reuse certain of their favorite character designs--but the other images Prashant provides does make one wonder. My theory is that there are only so many ways to use make-up and latex to turn humans into aliens or monsters.