<PAGE>   1
                              Registration No. _________, Filed __________, 1997

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

              Delaware                                   77-0156584
 ---------------------------------          ------------------------------------
    (State or other jurisdiction            (I.R.S. employer identification no.)
 of incorporation or organization)

                            189 North Bernardo Avenue
                             Mountain View, CA 94043
             -------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

                           TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
                       1996 NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION PLAN
             -------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                  Frank C. Lin
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                           Trident Microsystems, Inc.
                            189 North Bernardo Avenue
                             Mountain View, CA 94043
             -------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service: 415/691-9211 
This registration statement, including all exhibits and attachments, contains 16
pages. The exhibit index may be found on page 8 of the consecutively numbered
pages of the registration statement.

This registration statement shall hereafter become effective in accordance with
Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


                                      1

<PAGE>   2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      Proposed maximum          Proposed maximum        Amount of
  Title of securities         Amount to be           offering price per        aggregate offering    registration
  to be registered(1)          registered                 share(2)                   price(2)             fee
------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------- ---------------------- ------------------
<S>                                <C>                 <C>                       <C>                  <C>

Common Stock                       378,925             $10.5693                   $4,004,972.00
Par Value $0.001                   621,075             $13.0625                   $8,112,792.19

                 Totals          1,000,000                                       $12,117,764.19       $3,672.05
</TABLE>






----------
       (1) The securities to be registered include options to acquire such
Common Stock.

       (2) Estimated pursuant to Rule 457 solely for purposes of calculating the
registration fee. As to shares subject to outstanding but unexercised options
under the 1996 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan , the price is computed on the
basis of the weighted average exercise price. As to the remaining shares under
the 1996 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan, the price is based upon the average of
the high and low prices of the Common Stock on June 16, 1997, as reported on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System.


                                       2
<PAGE>   3
                                     PART II


               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

          Trident Microsystems, Inc. ("the Company") hereby incorporates by
reference in this registration statement the following documents:

          (a) The Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to
Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), containing audited financial statements for the Company's
latest fiscal year ended June 30, 1996 (Commission File No. 0-20784).

          (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the document referred
to in (a) above.

          (c) The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, pursuant to Section 12 of the
Exchange Act, File No. 0-20784, filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on October 27, 1992, effective December 15, 1992, including any
amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

ITEM 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

          The class of securities to be offered is registered under Section 12
of the Exchange Act.

ITEM 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

          Inapplicable.

ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

          Delaware law authorizes corporations to eliminate the personal
liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary
damages for breach or alleged breach of the directors' "duty of care." While the
relevant statute does not change directors' duty of care, it enables
corporations to limit available relief to equitable remedies such as injunction
or rescission. The statute has no effect on directors' duty of loyalty, acts or
omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct or knowing
violations of law, illegal payment of


                                       3
<PAGE>   4
dividends and approval of any transaction from which a director derives an
improper personal benefit.

          The Company has adopted provisions in its Certificate of Incorporation
which eliminate the personal liability of its directors to the Company and its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach or alleged breach of their duty of
care. The By-Laws of the Company provide for indemnification of its directors,
officers, employees and agents to the full extent permitted by the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Company's state of incorporation,
including those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be
discretionary under Delaware Law. Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware provides for indemnification in terms sufficiently broad
to indemnify such individuals, under certain circumstances, for liabilities
(including reimbursement of expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act.

ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

          Inapplicable.

ITEM 8.   EXHIBITS

          See Exhibit Index.

ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS

          (a) Rule 415 Offering

          The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

              (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement;

                  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the registrant


                                       4
<PAGE>   5
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

              (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

              (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

          (b) Filing incorporating subsequent Exchange Act documents by
reference

              The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (c) Request for acceleration of effective date or filing of
registration statement on Form S-8

              Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                       5
<PAGE>   6
                                    SIGNATURE


              Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, 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 Mountain View, State of California, on June 19,
1997.


                           TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS, INC.




                           By:  /s/  Frank C. Lin
                                ---------------------------------------------
                                Frank C. Lin
                                President, Chief Executive Officer, and
                                Chairman of the Board of Directors


                                       6
<PAGE>   7
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


              The officers and directors of Trident Microsystems, Inc. whose
signatures appear below, hereby constitute and appoint Frank C. Lin and Pete
Mangan, and each of them, their true and lawful attorneys and agents, with full
power of substitution, each with power to act alone, to sign and execute on
behalf of the undersigned any amendment or amendments to this registration
statement on Form S-8, and each of the undersigned does hereby ratify and
confirm all that each of said attorney and agent, or their or his substitutes,
shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

              Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in
the capacities indicated on June 19, 1997.

Signature                           Title
---------                           -----

/s/ Frank C. Lin                  
----------------------------------
Frank C. Lin                        President, Chief Executive Officer, and
                                    Chairman of the Board (Principal Executive
                                    Officer)

/s/ Pete Mangan
----------------------------------
Pete Mangan                         Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
                                    (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/ Glen M. Antle
----------------------------------
Glen M. Antle                       Director


----------------------------------
Shyur-Jen Paul Chien                Director


/s/ Yasushi Chikagami
----------------------------------
Yasushi Chikagami                   Director


/s/ Charles A. Dickinson
----------------------------------
Charles A. Dickinson                Director


/s/ Leonard Y. Liu
----------------------------------
Leonard Y. Liu                      Director


/s/ Millard Phelps
----------------------------------
Millard Phelps                      Director


                                       7
<PAGE>   8
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
                                                                        Sequentially
                                                                          Numbered
                                                                            Page
                                                                        ------------
<S>    <C>                                                             <C>
4.1    Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as filed        9
       in the Office of the Secretary of State of Delaware on            
       August 15, 1994                                                   
4.2    Bylaws of the Company are incorporated by reference to               ___
       Exhibit 3.4 of the Company's Registration Statement on Form       
       S-1 (No. 33-53768, effective December 15, 1992)                   
5      Opinion re legality                                                  14
23.1   Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5)                           ___
23.2   Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP                                      16
24     Power of Attorney (included in signature pages to this               ___
       registration statement)                                        
</TABLE>


                                       8
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15889}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS INC", "cik": "0000859475", "assigned-sic": "3674", "irs-number": "770156584", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0630"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-29667", "film-number": "97627397"}, "business-address": {"street1": "189 NORTH BERNARDO AVENUE", "city": "MOUNTAIN VIEW", "state": "CA", "zip": "94043-5203", "phone": "4156919211"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "189 NORTH BERNARDO AVENUE", "city": "MOUNTAIN VIEW", "state": "CA", "zip": "94043"}}
1
                              Registration No. _________, Filed __________, 1997

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

              Delaware                                   77-0156584
 ---------------------------------          ------------------------------------
    (State or other jurisdiction            (I.R.S. employer identification no.)
 of incorporation or organization)

                            189 North Bernardo Avenue
                             Mountain View, CA 94043
             -------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

                           TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
                       1996 NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION PLAN
             -------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                  Frank C. Lin
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                           Trident Microsystems, Inc.
                            189 North Bernardo Avenue
                             Mountain View, CA 94043
             -------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service: 415/691-9211 
This registration statement, including all exhibits and attachments, contains 16
pages. The exhibit index may be found on page 8 of the consecutively numbered
pages of the registration statement.

This registration statement shall hereafter become effective in accordance with
Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                                      1
2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed maximum          Proposed maximum        Amount of
  Title of securities         Amount to be           offering price per        aggregate offering    registration
  to be registered(1)          registered                 share(2)                   price(2)             fee
------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------- ---------------------- ------------------
Common Stock                       378,925             $10.5693                   $4,004,972.00
Par Value $0.001                   621,075             $13.0625                   $8,112,792.19

                 Totals          1,000,000                                       $12,117,764.19       $3,672.05
----------
       (1) The securities to be registered include options to acquire such
Common Stock.

       (2) Estimated pursuant to Rule 457 solely for purposes of calculating the
registration fee. As to shares subject to outstanding but unexercised options
under the 1996 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan , the price is computed on the
basis of the weighted average exercise price. As to the remaining shares under
the 1996 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan, the price is based upon the average of
the high and low prices of the Common Stock on June 16, 1997, as reported on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System.

                                       2
3
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

          Trident Microsystems, Inc. ("the Company") hereby incorporates by
reference in this registration statement the following documents:

          (a) The Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to
Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), containing audited financial statements for the Company's
latest fiscal year ended June 30, 1996 (Commission File No. 0-20784).

          (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the document referred
to in (a) above.

          (c) The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, pursuant to Section 12 of the
Exchange Act, File No. 0-20784, filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on October 27, 1992, effective December 15, 1992, including any
amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

ITEM 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

          The class of securities to be offered is registered under Section 12
of the Exchange Act.

ITEM 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

          Inapplicable.

ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

          Delaware law authorizes corporations to eliminate the personal
liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary
damages for breach or alleged breach of the directors' "duty of care." While the
relevant statute does not change directors' duty of care, it enables
corporations to limit available relief to equitable remedies such as injunction
or rescission. The statute has no effect on directors' duty of loyalty, acts or
omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct or knowing
violations of law, illegal payment of

                                       3
4
dividends and approval of any transaction from which a director derives an
improper personal benefit.

          The Company has adopted provisions in its Certificate of Incorporation
which eliminate the personal liability of its directors to the Company and its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach or alleged breach of their duty of
care. The By-Laws of the Company provide for indemnification of its directors,
officers, employees and agents to the full extent permitted by the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Company's state of incorporation,
including those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be
discretionary under Delaware Law. Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware provides for indemnification in terms sufficiently broad
to indemnify such individuals, under certain circumstances, for liabilities
(including reimbursement of expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act.

ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

          Inapplicable.

ITEM 8.   EXHIBITS

          See Exhibit Index.

ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS

          (a) Rule 415 Offering

          The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

              (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement;

                  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the registrant

                                       4
5
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

              (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

              (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

          (b) Filing incorporating subsequent Exchange Act documents by
reference

              The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          (c) Request for acceleration of effective date or filing of
registration statement on Form S-8

              Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
6
                                    SIGNATURE

              Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, 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 Mountain View, State of California, on June 19,
1997.

                           TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS, INC.

                           By:  /s/  Frank C. Lin
                                ---------------------------------------------
                                Frank C. Lin
                                President, Chief Executive Officer, and
                                Chairman of the Board of Directors

                                       6
7
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

              The officers and directors of Trident Microsystems, Inc. whose
signatures appear below, hereby constitute and appoint Frank C. Lin and Pete
Mangan, and each of them, their true and lawful attorneys and agents, with full
power of substitution, each with power to act alone, to sign and execute on
behalf of the undersigned any amendment or amendments to this registration
statement on Form S-8, and each of the undersigned does hereby ratify and
confirm all that each of said attorney and agent, or their or his substitutes,
shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

              Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in
the capacities indicated on June 19, 1997.

Signature                           Title
---------                           -----

/s/ Frank C. Lin                  
----------------------------------
Frank C. Lin                        President, Chief Executive Officer, and
                                    Chairman of the Board (Principal Executive
                                    Officer)

/s/ Pete Mangan
----------------------------------
Pete Mangan                         Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
                                    (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/ Glen M. Antle
----------------------------------
Glen M. Antle                       Director

----------------------------------
Shyur-Jen Paul Chien                Director

/s/ Yasushi Chikagami
----------------------------------
Yasushi Chikagami                   Director

/s/ Charles A. Dickinson
----------------------------------
Charles A. Dickinson                Director

/s/ Leonard Y. Liu
----------------------------------
Leonard Y. Liu                      Director

/s/ Millard Phelps
----------------------------------
Millard Phelps                      Director

                                       7
8
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

                                                                        Sequentially
                                                                          Numbered
                                                                            Page
                                                                        ------------
4.1    Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as filed        9
       in the Office of the Secretary of State of Delaware on            
       August 15, 1994                                                   
4.2    Bylaws of the Company are incorporated by reference to               ___
       Exhibit 3.4 of the Company's Registration Statement on Form       
       S-1 (No. 33-53768, effective December 15, 1992)                   
5      Opinion re legality                                                  14
23.1   Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5)                           ___
23.2   Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP                                      16
24     Power of Attorney (included in signature pages to this               ___
       registration statement)
8