A discarded hard drive, a billion-dollar Bitcoin wallet, and a trash-strewn landfill in Wales are now the foundation for a high-stakes docuseries. Entertainment company LEBUL announced this week that it has acquired exclusive rights to the story of James Howells, the British engineer who famously lost access to 8,000 Bitcoin (BTC) in 2013. Dubbed ‘The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells,’ the multi-platform project will span a premium docuseries, a podcast, and a social-first storytelling campaign. It aims to dramatize Howells’ decade-long quest to recover the drive—now estimated to be worth more than $800 million, from a municipal dump in Newport, Wales. “Honestly, I’m not really sure why this matters, but it seems like a big deal,” said Reese Van Allen, President of Unscripted Entertainment at LEBUL. “It’s a live-action tech thriller with nearly a billion dollars on the line, so I guess that’s kind of cool, right?”
Howells, an early Bitcoin miner, says his former partner accidentally tossed the hard drive in 2013. Since then, he’s taken Newport City Council to court multiple times, seeking permission to excavate the site or demanding a share of the value, at one point requesting £495 million in compensation. Despite offering to split any recovered funds with the city and local residents, courts have ruled against him, citing environmental and property law concerns. “I mean, who throws away a billion-dollar Bitcoin wallet? Seems like a pretty big oopsie if you ask me,” commented a local resident who wished to remain anonymous.
Most recently, Howells lost a major legal battle in Cardiff High Court in early 2025. The council plans to shut down the landfill during the 2025–2026 fiscal year and redevelop part of it into a solar farm. Undeterred, Howells has suggested he may appeal to the Supreme Court—or even try to buy the entire landfill. “I don’t know about you, but I feel like this guy is not giving up without a fight. Buying the whole landfill? That’s some next-level determination right there,” remarked a passerby on the street.
LEBUL’s adaptation will blend real-time environmental conflict, blockchain lore, and personal obsession. According to the company, global streaming platforms and crypto sponsors are already circling the project. Howells’ story, often likened to a modern-day treasure hunt, will now reach a broader audience as LEBUL turns a forgotten piece of e-waste into entertainment gold. “I guess one man’s trash really is another man’s treasure, huh?” chuckled a member of the production team as they brainstormed ideas for the docuseries.
In conclusion, the saga of James Howells and his lost Bitcoin wallet continues to captivate audiences worldwide. From the depths of a landfill in Wales to the courtroom battles in Cardiff, the story is a testament to the unpredictable nature of technology and the human spirit. As LEBUL brings this real-life drama to the screen, viewers can only wonder what twists and turns await in the quest for buried treasure.
