Dacre Montgomery Reveals What He’s Most Excited About as Stranger Things Heads Toward Its Final Chapter

Dacre Montgomery may be counting down to the Stranger Things series finale — but not for the reason most fans might expect.

The 31-year-old actor, best known for playing Billy Hargrove in seasons 2 and 3 of the hit Netflix series, opened up to PEOPLE during a special screening of his new film Dead Man’s Wire in New York City on Dec. 10, sharing what the show — and its fans — still mean to him.

According to Montgomery, Stranger Things has played a defining role in both his career and his life.

“It’s been everything to me,” he said. “It shaped my career, made me who I am, and gave me such an incredible experience. The impact from the fans has been huge.”

While Billy’s story ended seasons ago — with the character later appearing only in Max’s nightmares in season 4 — Montgomery said he’s still deeply connected to the world of Stranger Things as the series prepares to conclude on Dec. 31.

Rather than feeling sad about the ending, Montgomery revealed that what excites him most is what comes next for the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer.

“What I’m really excited about is that now that the Duffer brothers are finishing Stranger Things, they have so many other incredible ideas,” he said. “If people loved Stranger Things, just imagine what else they’re capable of. That really excites me.”

The Duffer Brothers already have several new projects in the works at Netflix, including The Boroughs, a supernatural mystery set in a retirement community starring Geena Davis, and Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, a series centered on a doomed wedding starring Camila Morrone and Adam DiMarco.

As for Montgomery, he’s also moving forward with a powerful new project of his own. His upcoming film, Dead Man’s Wire, is based on the true story of a high-profile 1977 kidnapping involving a prominent banker.

The film features an all-star cast including Bill Skarsgård, Colman Domingo, Cary Elwes, Myha’la, and Al Pacino, and is set to hit theaters on Jan. 9.