mickey mouse is getting a makeover. how would you remake this icon?

The one-time “Steamboat Willie” star is coming up his 81st birthday Nov. 18 and it looks like his gift from Walt Disney Co. will be a much-needed overhaul. The small-world news was big enough that even the august New York Times put the story on its cover.

Apparently, the plan is to put a bit more rogue in the rodent, making Mickey a bit more edgy in the likes of films and video games. To wit, the company is looking to recast the way he walks, talks and lives. “Holy cow, the opportunity to mess with one of the most recognizable icons on planet Earth,” the metaphor-mixing Warren Spector, creative director at Disney game developer Junction Point, told the Times.

That got me thinking: This is an amazing opportunity for branding experts, so we throw the question out to you; How would you remake this legendary icon?