Yesterday, Deadline came up with the exclusive that Netflix had acquired the rights of Christopher McDougall next book, called ‘Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero’, which is set to be published by Knopf in less than a month, October 15, to be precise. Randall Green, one of the writers of Showtime’s successful show, ‘Billions’ was hired to adapt the book.

‘Running with Sherman’ follows the story of McDougall’s family after they adopt a donkey that was left isolated and unattended in a barn in the rural zones of western Pennsylvania. When a friend came with Sherman to the McDougall’s farm, the donkey was on the green mile: he has infected injuries all over his body, was bloated and had huge hooves everywhere. The McDougalls taught Sherman to live as a donkey all over again. They helped him running and racing again. The story ends with Sherman racing against other donkey and human friends in a competition in the Rocky Mountains.

So far, McDougall’s ‘Running with Sherman’ is at an early development and production stage as an early original. But the fact that they’ve already hired a writer to adapt it for screen means they trust they can get something good for it. Aside from writing ‘Billions’, Randall Green has also written and produced for Netflix. He was producer and co-writer of ‘A Perfect Date’, and also did a rewrite for Fox Animation’s ‘Spies in Disguise.’

Christopher McDougall was a long-time foreign correspondent for Associated Press, covering the Rwandan war (ad genocide) and the Angola Civil War before obtaining widespread recognition for his bestseller ‘Born to Run.’