The Wild One inspired a whole subgenre of films dealing with rebellious youths and the generation gap such as Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Jailhouse Rock (1957). It also paved the way for other films about motorcycle gangs and bikers like The Wild Angels (1966) and Easy Rider (1969).

Part of The Wild One's legacy is Kenneth Anger's underground avant-garde classic, Scorpio Rising (1964), in which a motorcycle enthusiast watches the Brando movie on television while getting ready for an outing.

The Wild One remains director Laszlo Benedek's best known film. The Hungarian-born director was a photographer, writer, and editor before he was signed to an MGM contract in 1948. Other noteworthy credits include Death of a Salesman (1951) starring Fredric March, The Night Visitor (1970) with Max von Sydow and numerous TV series like The Outer Limits, Perry Mason and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Comical visual homages to The Wild One can be found in The Little Shop of Horrors (1986) and Raising Arizona (1987).