Louis Tomlinson is setting expectations straight when it comes to the possibility of a One Direction reunion and fans hoping for one anytime soon may want to temper their hopes. In a new Rolling Stone UK cover story, the 32-year-old singer reflected on his time with the globally famous boy band and made it clear that a reunion feels increasingly unlikely, especially following the death of bandmate Liam Payne last year.

Tomlinson, who is preparing to release his third solo album How Did I Get Here? on January 23, 2026, spoke candidly about how his outlook on One Direction’s future has evolved. Asked whether witnessing Oasis’ long-awaited reunion this summer in Cardiff inspired any thoughts about reuniting his own former band, he admitted the idea briefly crossed his mind but reality quickly sank in.

“That was one of the first feelings I got when I was there,” he said. “But I think it’s more that you’re romanticizing the idea than thinking about the reality of the situation.”

Tomlinson said that, in the wake of Payne’s passing, a reunion now feels emotionally fraught. “Right now, I can’t foresee a time where I would actually feel comfortable doing that,” he told the magazine. The prospect of performing again as a four-piece, alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, feels, in his words, “like something else, almost.”

“Before Liam passed, I kind of always had it in the back of my mind,” Tomlinson said. “Like, ‘I’m sure we’ll do something, even if it’s just one big show.’ But now I’d be really surprised.” He added that the band’s last shared moment on stage now carries a sense of closure. “I kind of love that the last time we were all up there together, Liam was there. That’s just so perfect,” he reflected.

The comments mark one of Tomlinson’s most direct acknowledgments yet of how Payne’s death has reshaped the band’s legacy and his own relationship to it. One Direction, which formed on The X Factor in 2010, became one of the most successful pop groups of the 2010s, releasing five chart-topping albums and dominating the global pop landscape before going on indefinite hiatus in 2016.

Even if a One Direction reunion seems unlikely, Tomlinson isn’t closing the door on reconnecting with former bandmates in other ways. Next year, he will appear alongside Zayn Malik in a new Netflix documentary series.

According to a press release, the three-part series will feature Tomlinson and Malik “opening up about life, love, loss, and fatherhood” while embarking on what’s described as a “spontaneous adventure” across the United States. Directed by Nicola Marsh (Song Exploder, Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story), the project promises an intimate look at their personal and creative lives and a rekindling of the friendship that began during their One Direction days.

While details about the documentary remain under wraps, the project marks the first public collaboration between any of the group’s members since the band’s hiatus. For fans who have long speculated about tensions between Malik and the others, the series could signal a more personal reunion, if not a musical one.

Tomlinson also spoke to Rolling Stone UK about How Did I Get Here?, describing it as his most self-assured work to date. “It’s a reflection of how confident I am,” he said. The upcoming record, he added, represents a transition from the “mildly dark sonic place” of his 2022 album Faith in the Future to a “much sunnier destination.”