Bitcoin worth $800 million sparks real life docuseries

A documentary series based on the ongoing search for a hard drive containing 8,000 bitcoins—now valued at nearly $800 million—has entered production, according to an announcement from Los Angeles-based media company Lebul on April 29.

The series, titled The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells, will document the Welsh engineer’s decade-long effort to recover the device from the Docksway landfill in Newport, Wales.

It will be developed as a multimedia project that includes a docuseries, podcast, and interactive social media engagement.

Howells accidentally threw away the hard drive in 2013, unaware it held a Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) wallet that would grow to a value of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Despite attempts to retrieve it using a team of environmental and technical experts and securing private funding for a controlled excavation, Newport City Council has consistently denied access due to environmental concerns and legal claims over landfill contents.

After years of legal efforts, the High Court dismissed Howells' case in January 2025, stating it had “no realistic prospect of succeeding.”

According to Lebul, the series will highlight both the personal and technical obstacles Howells faces, while addressing broader themes of digital assets and waste management.

“The series will blend cinematic storytelling with real-time global stakes, blockchain technology, and environmental innovation,” the company stated.

Reese Van Allen, president of unscripted entertainment at Lebul, described the project as more than a media release.

“This isn’t just content,” he said.

“It’s a live-action tech thriller with nearly a billion dollars on the line.”

Lebul is in talks with streaming platforms, crypto firms, and brand sponsors to support the production.

Howells is now considering purchasing the landfill ahead of its expected closure between 2025 and 2026 to resume the search independently.

At the time of writing, the Bitcoin (BTC) price was $96,841.70.