Chad Michael Murray Reflects on One Tree Hill Legacy (Exclusive)

After all these years, Chad Michael Murray is still amazed by the dedication One Tree Hill fandom.

He talks exclusively to PEOPLE about his new Netflix movie The merry gentlementhe actor, 43, reflected on his breakout role as Lucas Scott on The CW series more than two decades ago.

Although the series ended its nine-season run in April 2012, the series still reigns as one of the most iconic teen dramas on television.

For Murray, the show’s long-running success is all thanks to the fans.

“This OTH the family has grown with us and we have grown with them,” Murray tells PEOPLE of the fans. “It’s always been their show, it always has been, and we’ve all done it together.”

Although Murray acknowledges all the talented actors on the show, including James Lafferty, Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz and Sophia Bush, he adds that the success was ultimately a “team effort” between them and the viewers.

“Without the fans, there is no one One Tree Hillregardless of whether we are there doing it or not,” he says. “The show would have gone away a long time ago, but they’ve kept it alive and it struck a chord with so many people, still today.”

While the show’s initial fans have grown up with the series, it continues to find new audiences through streaming. To this day, fans still come out in droves to meet the cast at conventions, including FWB Charity Events’ annual charity basketball game in Wilmington, NCwhere the original series was filmed.

“I go to conventions, I go out and meet people on the street, and you’ll see 13-, 14-year-old girls who are just totally into their One Tree Hill phase and they’re just getting started and they’re already soaked in,” Murray says of meeting new fans.

The continued love for the series has since sparked plans for a potential revival. In late August, original stars Bush and Burton confirmed their plans for a reboot, which they will also produce alongside former costar Danneel Ackles.

While Murray’s involvement in the reboot hasn’t been confirmed — he notably left the original series at the end of season 6 — he’s incredibly grateful for the impact his character made on fans.

“It’s wonderful to know that you’ve done something in your career that has impacted so many people worldwide, and to be able to share that experience with them in these moments, it’s just an honor,” he says.

Recently he opened up to Deadline about the upcoming reboot, noting that he hopes it can happen for viewers.

“I really want a repeat of this show to come back for the fans,” he told the paper. “I’ll tell you, whatever iteration of the show comes out, I want it for the fans. There’s such a brotherhood and bond between so many people around the world with us. I’m grateful for that.”

As the cast celebrated the show’s 21st anniversary in September, many stars teased their potential involvement in the reboot as they talked about where their characters might be today.

Although Paul Johansson said he was “done” with his character Dan during a Q&A event held at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Lafferty noted that he would be curious to see where his character Nathan would be.

“I think it would be great if he stayed with Haley and had a family and everything is good,” Lafferty said, referring to his character’s girlfriend and eventual wife, portrayed by Lenz. “I think it would be cool to see where his agent career is now.”

Bryan Greenberg, who played Jake Jagielski, joked that he thinks his character still faces some legal issues after Jake was shown going through a lengthy custody battle over his daughter Jenny and other run-ins with the police.

“Jake, I think, is still on the lip,” Greenberg said to more laughs. “I’m hiding in Panama playing guitar in a little beach bar waiting for Jenny to come get him. She’s grown—she sends me money.”

“I have no idea,” he admitted, before teasing a possible revival or reboot. “But maybe we’ll find out, because I hear things might happen.”

While there haven’t been any new updates with the reboot, Burton told PEOPLE that she’s been working with a female-led team “this go-around.”

“What I can say is that this pivot, being able to work with a team of women and look at these stories (and) these characters through a female lens is something that — whether I was doing a reboot or a hero new show or another movie at this stage in my life, female teamwork is something that is so important to me,” Burton said.