<PAGE>   1

    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 20, 2001

                                                    Registration No. 333-_______
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 ---------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                 ---------------

                              WOLVERINE TUBE, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                 DELAWARE                              63-0970812
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
      Incorporation or Organization)

                       200 CLINTON AVENUE WEST, SUITE 1000
                            HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 35801
          (Address, Including Zip Code, of Principal Executive Offices)

                                 ---------------

                  1993 STOCK OPTION PLAN FOR OUTSIDE DIRECTORS
                             OF WOLVERINE TUBE, INC.
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                 ---------------

                             JOHANN R. MANNING, JR.
           SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                       200 CLINTON AVENUE WEST, SUITE 1000
                            HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 35801
                     (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                                 (256) 580-3960
          (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                                 ---------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
========================================================================================
                                        PROPOSED         PROPOSED
                                         MAXIMUM         MAXIMUM
TITLE OF SECURITIES   AMOUNT TO BE   OFFERING PRICE      AGGREGATE          AMOUNT OF
 TO BE REGISTERED     REGISTERED(1)   PER SHARE(2)   OFFERING PRICE(2)  REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                   <C>            <C>             <C>                <C>
   Common Stock,
  par value $0.01        135,000         $ 14.73        $ 1,988,550           $ 497
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)      Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
         number of shares of securities registered in this Registration
         Statement will be increased as a result of future stock splits, stock
         dividends or similar transactions.
(2)      Pursuant to Rule 457 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
         offering price is estimated solely for the purpose of determining the
         registration fee and is based on the average of the high and low prices
         of the common stock of Wolverine Tube, Inc. on August 16, 2001, as
         reported on the New York Stock Exchange.
================================================================================


<PAGE>   2

                                     PART I

                                EXPLANATORY NOTE

         Wolverine Tube, Inc. (the "Registrant") is filing this Registration
Statement on Form S-8 in order to register an additional 135,000 shares of
common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), to be offered or
sold pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Registrant's 1993 Stock Option
Plan for Outside Directors, as amended and restated (the "Plan").

         A prospectus meeting the requirements of Part I of Form S-8 has been
prepared. Such prospectus is not included in this Registration Statement but
will be delivered to all participants in the Plan pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1)
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                     STATEMENT OF INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

         In accordance with General Instruction E to Form S-8, the entire
contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-8, registration number
33-73490, filed December 23, 1993, relating to the Plan are incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT          DESCRIPTION
-------          -----------

<S>              <C>
   4             Wolverine Tube, Inc. 1993 Stock Option Plan for Outside
                 Directors, as amended and restated, incorporated by
                 reference to Annex B of the Company's Definitive Proxy
                 Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and
                 Exchange Commission on April 23, 1999, and Amendment One
                 thereto, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
                 Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
                 quarter ended April 1, 2001, filed with the Securities and
                 Exchange Commission on May 15, 2001.

   5             Opinion and consent of Balch & Bingham LLP.

  23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.

  23.2           Consent of Balch & Bingham LLP (included in Exhibit 5).

  24             Power of Attorney of the Officers and Directors of the
                 Registrant (contained within signature page).
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   3

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Huntsville, State of Alabama, on this 16th day of
August, 2001.

                                            WOLVERINE TUBE, INC.


                                            By: /s/ Dennis J. Horowitz
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Dennis J. Horowitz
                                                Chairman, President and
                                                Chief Executive Officer

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below hereby appoints Dennis J. Horowitz, Johann R. Manning, Jr. and
James E. Deason, and each of them singly, acting alone and without another, his
or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact with the authority to execute in the
name of each such person, and to file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, together with any exhibits thereto and other documents therewith,
any and all (1) amendments (including without limitation post-effective
amendments) to this Registration Statement on Form S-8 or (2) additional
Registration Statements which may be filed pursuant to General Instruction E to
Form S-8 to register additional securities under the employee benefit plan named
herein, as may be necessary or advisable to enable the Registrant to comply with
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations, and
requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, which
amendments or additional Registration Statements may make such other changes as
the aforesaid attorney-in-fact executing the same deems appropriate.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
          SIGNATURE                               TITLE                          DATE
------------------------------    --------------------------------------    ----------------
<S>                               <C>                                       <C>


 /s/ Dennis J. Horowitz           Chairman of the Board of Directors,       August 16, 2001
------------------------------    President and Chief Executive
     Dennis J. Horowitz           Officer (Principal Executive Officer)


   /s/ James E. Deason            Executive Vice President, Chief           August 16, 2001
------------------------------    Financial Officer, Secretary and
       James E. Deason            Director (Principal Financial
                                  Officer and Principal Accounting
                                  Officer)


                                  Director
------------------------------
       Chris A. Davis


   /s/ John L. Duncan             Director                                  August 16, 2001
------------------------------
       John L. Duncan
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   4

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
          SIGNATURE                         TITLE                  DATE
------------------------------    -------------------------    ----------------
<S>                               <C>                          <C>


                                  Director
------------------------------
        Thomas P. Evans


 /s/ W. Barnes Hauptfuhrer        Director                    August 16, 2001
------------------------------
     W. Barnes Hauptfuhrer


   /s/ Gail O. Neuman             Director                    August 16, 2001
------------------------------
       Gail O. Neuman


                                  Director
------------------------------
      Jan K. Ver Hagen
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   5

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT    DESCRIPTION
-------    -----------

<S>        <C>
   4       Wolverine Tube, Inc. 1993 Stock Option Plan for Outside
           Directors, as amended and restated, incorporated by
           reference to Annex B of the Company's Definitive Proxy
           Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and
           Exchange Commission on April 23, 1999, and Amendment One
           thereto, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
           Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
           quarter ended April 1, 2001, filed with the Securities and
           Exchange Commission on May 15, 2001.

   5       Opinion and consent of Balch & Bingham LLP.

  23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.

  23.2     Consent of Balch & Bingham LLP (included in Exhibit 5).

  24       Power of Attorney of the Officers and Directors of the
           Registrant (contained within signature page).
</TABLE>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "WOLVERINE TUBE INC", "cik": "0000821407", "assigned-sic": "3350", "irs-number": "630970812", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-67968", "film-number": "1719256"}, "business-address": {"street1": "200 CLINTON AVENUE WEST STE 1000", "city": "HUNTSVILLE", "state": "AL", "zip": "35806", "phone": "2568900460"}}
1

    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 20, 2001

                                                    Registration No. 333-_______
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 ---------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                 ---------------

                              WOLVERINE TUBE, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                 DELAWARE                              63-0970812
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
      Incorporation or Organization)

                       200 CLINTON AVENUE WEST, SUITE 1000
                            HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 35801
          (Address, Including Zip Code, of Principal Executive Offices)

                                 ---------------

                  1993 STOCK OPTION PLAN FOR OUTSIDE DIRECTORS
                             OF WOLVERINE TUBE, INC.
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                 ---------------

                             JOHANN R. MANNING, JR.
           SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                       200 CLINTON AVENUE WEST, SUITE 1000
                            HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 35801
                     (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                                 (256) 580-3960
          (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                                 ---------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
========================================================================================
                                        PROPOSED         PROPOSED
                                         MAXIMUM         MAXIMUM
TITLE OF SECURITIES   AMOUNT TO BE   OFFERING PRICE      AGGREGATE          AMOUNT OF
 TO BE REGISTERED     REGISTERED(1)   PER SHARE(2)   OFFERING PRICE(2)  REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,
  par value $0.01        135,000         $ 14.73        $ 1,988,550           $ 497
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)      Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
         number of shares of securities registered in this Registration
         Statement will be increased as a result of future stock splits, stock
         dividends or similar transactions.
(2)      Pursuant to Rule 457 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
         offering price is estimated solely for the purpose of determining the
         registration fee and is based on the average of the high and low prices
         of the common stock of Wolverine Tube, Inc. on August 16, 2001, as
         reported on the New York Stock Exchange.
================================================================================
2

                                     PART I

                                EXPLANATORY NOTE

         Wolverine Tube, Inc. (the "Registrant") is filing this Registration
Statement on Form S-8 in order to register an additional 135,000 shares of
common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), to be offered or
sold pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Registrant's 1993 Stock Option
Plan for Outside Directors, as amended and restated (the "Plan").

         A prospectus meeting the requirements of Part I of Form S-8 has been
prepared. Such prospectus is not included in this Registration Statement but
will be delivered to all participants in the Plan pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1)
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                     STATEMENT OF INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

         In accordance with General Instruction E to Form S-8, the entire
contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-8, registration number
33-73490, filed December 23, 1993, relating to the Plan are incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.
EXHIBIT          DESCRIPTION
-------          -----------
4             Wolverine Tube, Inc. 1993 Stock Option Plan for Outside
                 Directors, as amended and restated, incorporated by
                 reference to Annex B of the Company's Definitive Proxy
                 Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and
                 Exchange Commission on April 23, 1999, and Amendment One
                 thereto, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
                 Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
                 quarter ended April 1, 2001, filed with the Securities and
                 Exchange Commission on May 15, 2001.

   5             Opinion and consent of Balch & Bingham LLP.

  23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.

  23.2           Consent of Balch & Bingham LLP (included in Exhibit 5).

  24             Power of Attorney of the Officers and Directors of the
                 Registrant (contained within signature page).
3

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Huntsville, State of Alabama, on this 16th day of
August, 2001.

                                            WOLVERINE TUBE, INC.

                                            By: /s/ Dennis J. Horowitz
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Dennis J. Horowitz
                                                Chairman, President and
                                                Chief Executive Officer

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below hereby appoints Dennis J. Horowitz, Johann R. Manning, Jr. and
James E. Deason, and each of them singly, acting alone and without another, his
or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact with the authority to execute in the
name of each such person, and to file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, together with any exhibits thereto and other documents therewith,
any and all (1) amendments (including without limitation post-effective
amendments) to this Registration Statement on Form S-8 or (2) additional
Registration Statements which may be filed pursuant to General Instruction E to
Form S-8 to register additional securities under the employee benefit plan named
herein, as may be necessary or advisable to enable the Registrant to comply with
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations, and
requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, which
amendments or additional Registration Statements may make such other changes as
the aforesaid attorney-in-fact executing the same deems appropriate.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
SIGNATURE                               TITLE                          DATE
------------------------------    --------------------------------------    ----------------
/s/ Dennis J. Horowitz           Chairman of the Board of Directors,       August 16, 2001
------------------------------    President and Chief Executive
     Dennis J. Horowitz           Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

   /s/ James E. Deason            Executive Vice President, Chief           August 16, 2001
------------------------------    Financial Officer, Secretary and
       James E. Deason            Director (Principal Financial
                                  Officer and Principal Accounting
                                  Officer)

                                  Director
------------------------------
       Chris A. Davis

   /s/ John L. Duncan             Director                                  August 16, 2001
------------------------------
       John L. Duncan
4
SIGNATURE                         TITLE                  DATE
------------------------------    -------------------------    ----------------
Director
------------------------------
        Thomas P. Evans

 /s/ W. Barnes Hauptfuhrer        Director                    August 16, 2001
------------------------------
     W. Barnes Hauptfuhrer

   /s/ Gail O. Neuman             Director                    August 16, 2001
------------------------------
       Gail O. Neuman

                                  Director
------------------------------
      Jan K. Ver Hagen
5

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT    DESCRIPTION
-------    -----------
4       Wolverine Tube, Inc. 1993 Stock Option Plan for Outside
           Directors, as amended and restated, incorporated by
           reference to Annex B of the Company's Definitive Proxy
           Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and
           Exchange Commission on April 23, 1999, and Amendment One
           thereto, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
           Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
           quarter ended April 1, 2001, filed with the Securities and
           Exchange Commission on May 15, 2001.

   5       Opinion and consent of Balch & Bingham LLP.

  23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.

  23.2     Consent of Balch & Bingham LLP (included in Exhibit 5).

  24       Power of Attorney of the Officers and Directors of the
           Registrant (contained within signature page).