- - What's happening with One Direction? Zayn Malik update sparks fan frenzy

KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY November 14, 2025 at 1:30 AM

0

What's going on with One Direction?

Nearly a decade after the four members went their separate ways to pursue solo careers, Directioners are sensing a change in the air and are atwitter over a possible reunion among the beloved group's remaining members (Liam Payne died at age 31 in October 2024).

But who, exactly, is counted as a member of "The X-Factor" boyband? Zayn Malik was the first to depart the group in March 2015, leaving Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles to finish the remainder of what would be their final world tour as a quartet, as well as release one last album together.

But the four living members have made small moves to bridge the gap over the past year. They were all in attendance for Payne's funeral outside of London last year, and in October, Tomlinson and Malik announced they're reuniting for a three-part Netflix travel series, which has yet to set a release date.

One Direction members Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles attend the Royal Variety Performance at the Palladium Theatre in London on Nov. 13, 2014.

And now, a minor administrative update on a U.K. government website has hopeful fans flooding social media with speculation that they might once again see the estranged band members reunite.

'We're so back': One Direction fans speculate over public company information change

Fans noticed on Nov. 12 that Companies House, an agency within the U.K.'s Department for Business and Trade that maintains a registry of companies, showed a new filing for PPM Music Limited.

PPM is the 1D members' London-based private limited company that was incorporated on Dec. 12, 2011 – exactly a year after the five-piece group of previously eliminated contestants, cobbled together by Nicole Scherzinger, placed in third on "The X-Factor" Season 7 finale.

On Nov. 12, the Companies House website reflected a new Nov. 3 filing for a "change of details for Mr Zain Malik as a person with significant control." According to the publicly available filing, it appears the company its records to reflect that Malik now resides in the U.S.

'Forgot how much I love doing this': Inside Zayn Malik's major return to touring after 10 years

Malik, 32, has been living a quiet life on a Pennsylvania farm in recent years as he coparents his 5-year-old daughter Khai with ex Gigi Hadid. After a decade away from the stage, he's returned to live performances and will have a seven-show Las Vegas residency in January 2026.

The company has four "active persons with significant control," defined as members that hold "significant influence or control": Tomlinson, Malik, Horan and Styles. Payne's status as a stakeholder "ceased" on Oct. 16, 2024, the day of his death.

There are two officers who hold director roles: Lawrence Engel, a partner at the London-based Lee & Thompson law firm, and Alan McEvoy, founder of Live Wire Business Management, a firm that provides accounting and other management services.

Malik's appointment as director was terminated on May 21, 2016, while the other members were removed as directors on Dec. 31, 2022.

USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Malik, Engel and McEvoy to comment.

Liam Payne's most underrated songs: Rediscover 'Fireproof', 'Through the Dark' and more

One Direction has teased reunions before

However, Directioners are also used to experiencing false alarms, including around the time of the group's 10-year anniversary.

Payne told The Sun in an April 2020 interview, "There's a number of different things that we are all working on to try and make (a reunion) happen."

Days later, in a virtual appearance on "The Late Late Show," Payne confirmed the 1D members were communicating with each other.

"I'm not allowed to say too much, obviously, since I'd be giving it away," the "Strip That Down" singer told host James Corden. "We've been speaking a lot more at the moment. I think we're all feeling that that 10-year (mark) is a very special moment."

At the time, Payne ruled out any participation from Malik.

He told German magazine Bravo, "I haven't really spoken (to) or seen anything of Zayn for a while. But I think he'd prefer it that way."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Zayn Malik update sparks One Direction reunion speculation

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”