Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik explore grief and legacy in new Netflix road trip series

Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik reunite in a Netflix docuseries road trip exploring life, loss, and Liam Payne’s legacy

Former One Direction members Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik are reuniting for a new Netflix documentary series that will take fans on a U.S. road trip.

The project, confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, will explore the pair’s lives, careers, and the tragic loss of fellow bandmate Liam Payne.

Directed by Nicola Marsh, known for Child Star: The Demi Lovato Story and Song Exploder, the docuseries is expected to premiere in 2026. Produced by Campfire Studios, the series follows Tomlinson and Malik as they travel across America, including stops near Malik’s home in Pennsylvania, while reflecting on their journey since One Direction’s rise to fame.

The series will also address Payne’s sudden death in 2024, when the singer fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires at the age of 31. Payne’s passing deeply affected his former bandmates and fans worldwide, marking another poignant chapter in the band’s history.

Although Harry Styles and Niall Horan are not expected to appear, the project is designed to resonate with One Direction’s global fanbase. The boy band, discovered on The X Factor in 2010 by Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger, went on to become one of the best-selling groups of all time, with high-profile supporters including James Corden, David Beckham, and 5 Seconds of Summer.

Ross Dinerstein and Rebecca Evans will serve as executive producers for the series under Campfire Studios, which has also produced Smartless: On the Road and America’s Sweethearts: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

The Netflix road trip documentary is expected to highlight not only the enduring legacy of One Direction but also the personal growth of Tomlinson and Malik as they step back into the spotlight together.