A friend of mine once said “You walk around the streets as if you belong here” and that’s what I do… I belong to the streets and the streets belong to me, and no one can take that away from me.
If you're borrowing inspiration from any copyrighted material, even if it seems clear to you that your use is transformational, you're in danger. If your use is commercial and/or potentially objectionable, seek permission (though there's no guarantee it'll be granted) or be prepared to defend yourself in court.