As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 28, 2001 Registration No. 333-_______ ============================================================================= SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ODYSSEY MARINE EXPLORATION, INC. ---------------------------------------------------- Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter Nevada 84-1018684 ------------------------------- -------------------------- (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer Identifi- incorporation or organization) cation Number) 3604 Swann Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33609 (813) 876-1776 ------------------------------------------------------------ (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code) 1997 STOCK OPTION PLAN ------------------------ (Full title of the plan) 3604 Swann Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33609 (813) 876-1776 ------------------------------------------ (Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) Copy to: James P. Beck, Esq. Krys Boyle Freedman & Sawyer, P.C. 600 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2700, South Tower Denver, Colorado 80202 ============================================================================= Proposed Maxi- Proposed Maxi- Amount of Title of Securities Amount to be mum Offering mum Aggregate Registra- to be Registered Registered(1) Price Per Share Offering Price tion Fee ============================================================================= Common Stock 1,500,000 $0.78(2) $1,170,000 $279.62 $.0001 Par Shares Value ============================================================================= (1) Represents increase in the total number of shares reserved for issuance under the 1997 Stock Option Plan. A total of 2,000,000 shares has been registered under a registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-50325) with respect to the 1997 Stock Option Plan. In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, this registra- tion statement includes an indeterminate number of additional shares that may be offered and sold as a result of anti-dilution provisions described in the above-described plans. (2) Based on the exercise price of the options outstanding under the 1997 Stock Option Plan as to 600,000 shares and the average of the closing bid and ask price of the Registrant's Common Stock on December 26, 2001, as reported on the OTC Bulletin Board, as to the remaining 900,000 shares. STATEMENT UNDER GENERAL INSTRUCTION E -- REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES The registrant, Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc., previously filed a registration statement on Form S-8 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 333-50325) in connection with the registration of an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares of common stock to be issued under the 1997 Stock Option Plan. Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this registration statement is filed by Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. solely to register an additional 1,500,000 shares of Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. common stock for issuance under the 1997 Stock Option Plan. This increase was approved by the registrant's shareholders on December 5, 2001. Pursuant to Instruction E, the contents of the previously filed registration statement on Form S-8 (SEC File No. 333-50325) are hereby incorporated by reference into this registration statement pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8. PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ITEM 8. EXHIBITS. The following documents are filed as exhibits to this Registration Statement: EXHIBIT NUMBER TITLE LOCATION ------- -------------------------------- ----------------------------- 5 Opinion of Krys Boyle Freedman & Filed herewith electronically Sawyer, P.C. as to the legality of the securities being regis- tered 23.1 Consent of Krys Boyle Freedman & Filed herewith electronically Sawyer, P.C. 23.2 Consent of Giunta, Ferlita & Filed herewith electronically Walsh, P.A. II-1 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 Tampa, State of Florida, on the 27th day of December 2001. ODYSSEY MARINE EXPLORATION, INC. By/s/ John C. Morris John C. Morris, President and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to the provisions 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/ John C. Morris President and Director December 27, 2001 John C. Morris /s/ Gregory P. Stemm Vice President and December 27, 2001 Gregory P. Stemm Director /s/ David A. Morris Secretary and Treasurer December 27, 2001 David A. Morris (Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) /s/ David J. Saul Director December 27, 2001 Dr. David J. Saul /s/ Henri G. Delauze Director December 27, 2001 Henri G. Delauze /s/ George Knutsson Director December 27, 2001 George Knutsson