A staggering $800 million worth of Bitcoin, buried in a landfill, is being turned into a global media project, combining real-time drama, technological innovation, and environmental conflict.
On April 29, Los Angeles-based entertainment media company Lebul announced that it had acquired exclusive rights to develop a multimedia adaptation of James Howells’ ongoing effort to recover 8,000 BTC lost in a Welsh landfill—an endeavor now valued at nearly $800 million. The company will spread the initiative across multiple platforms, including a premium docuseries, a podcast, and an extensive social media campaign aimed at engaging a global audience.
The company described the project as “The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells,” a story chronicling James’ mission to recover the hard drive, mistakenly discarded twelve years ago, now worth over $800 million, while navigating the numerous practical and bureaucratic obstacles standing in the way.
The series will blend cinematic storytelling with real-time global stakes, blockchain technology, and environmental innovation.
Buried Bitcoin Docuseries Sparks Wild Landfill Treasure Hunt
The series marks the first official adaptation of Howells’ story, which has captivated tech enthusiasts and crypto watchers for more than a decade. The engineer’s years-long effort has involved navigating municipal restrictions, engaging with environmental agencies, and leveraging cutting-edge recovery methods.
A Welsh IT engineer, Howells, accidentally discarded a hard drive containing 8,000 BTC into the Docksway landfill in Newport, Wales, in 2013. Despite assembling a team of technical and environmental experts and securing private funding for a controlled excavation, Howells has repeatedly been denied access to the site by Newport City Council, which cites environmental risks and asserts legal ownership of all landfill contents. After 10 years of petitioning local authorities and pursuing legal action, Howells lost his case in the High Court in January 2025, with the ruling stating that it had ‘no realistic prospect of succeeding. Undeterred by this, Howells is now considering the purchase of the landfill before its scheduled closure in 2025–26 to launch the search independently.
Lebul’s leadership emphasized the high-stakes nature of the story and its cultural relevance. Reese Van Allen, president of unscripted entertainment at Lebul, stressed that “This isn’t just content.” He described:
It’s a live-action tech thriller with nearly a billion dollars on the line—and Lebul is proud to bring it to the world.
The company is presenting the project as a link between classic storytelling and new digital ideas, backed by a worldwide team of producers and planners. Meanwhile, big streaming platforms, crypto firms, and brand sponsors are already showing interest. As a result, the producers believe the project will gain strong attention because it explores the exciting mix of technology, money, and determination.
