Manufactured by Mack Rides, the hypercoaster opened as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the UK on 24 May 2024, with a height of 236 feet (72 m) and a maximum speed that reportedly exceeds 80 mph (130 km/h).

Loggers Leap opened in 1989 in the southern corner of the park, where it became the tallest log flume in the UK at the time of its debut.

[4] In February 2019, Thorpe Park confirmed that the attraction had been permanently closed, stating that "the area [which] Logger's Leap once dominated will be forming part of our long term development plans".

[5] The rest of Old Town closed permanently in October 2021, which included the retirement of the park's Rocky Express and Timber Tug Boat.

[6] In December 2021, Thorpe Park held a public consultation for their new coaster project in Old Town, releasing various renders and information online.

[7][8] Codenamed Project Exodus, the proposed ride promised to become the tallest coaster in the UK at 236 feet (72 m) tall, displacing The Big One's 213-foot (65 m) height at Blackpool Pleasure Beach after nearly three decades.

[10] On 14 March 2022, Thorpe Park submitted an extensive planning application to Runnymede Borough Council detailing the proposed redevelopments of Old Town and Project Exodus' construction.

[33] During the development phase, Merlin Entertainments – through the alias Vista Maxima Services Ltd – initially filed a trademark for ICARUS in March 2023.

[34] Hyperia was formally announced on 5 October 2023 and was accompanied by a promotional video that not only introduced the coaster's name but also presented its slogan, "Find your fearless".

Their first layout for Project Exodus was drafted in September 2020; eight more pitches followed, with the sixth iteration ultimately selected in April 2021 and being adjusted into the final product.

Merlin sought a classic hyper coaster with a large camelback airtime hill leading out of the first drop, but the space limitations rendered it implausible.