diff --git a/src/jinja2/lexer.py b/src/jinja2/lexer.py
index e35cd471e..061452c12 100644
--- a/src/jinja2/lexer.py
+++ b/src/jinja2/lexer.py
@@ -26,9 +26,45 @@
 # static regular expressions
 whitespace_re = re.compile(r"\s+")
 newline_re = re.compile(r"(\r\n|\r|\n)")
-string_re = re.compile(
-    r"('([^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*)'" r'|"([^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*)")', re.S
-)
+
+
+def _match_string(source: str, pos: int) -> str | None:
+    """Match a quoted string starting at *pos*.
+
+    This replaces the ``string_re`` regex to avoid catastrophic
+    backtracking on unclosed strings with many escape sequences.
+    The algorithm uses :meth:`str.find` to locate the closing quote
+    and then verifies that it is not escaped.
+    """
+    if pos >= len(source):
+        return None
+
+    quote = source[pos]
+
+    if quote not in "'\"":
+        return None
+
+    i = source.find(quote, pos + 1)
+
+    while i != -1:
+        # Count backslashes before this quote.
+        bs = 0
+        j = i - 1
+
+        while j >= pos + 1 and source[j] == "\\":
+            bs += 1
+            j -= 1
+
+        if bs % 2 == 0:
+            # Even number of backslashes -> quote is not escaped.
+            return source[pos : i + 1]
+
+        # Odd number of backslashes -> quote is escaped, keep searching.
+        i = source.find(quote, i + 1)
+
+    return None
+
+
 integer_re = re.compile(
     r"""
     (
@@ -463,11 +499,50 @@ def __new__(cls, *members, **kwargs):  # type: ignore
 
 
 class _Rule(t.NamedTuple):
-    pattern: t.Pattern[str]
+    pattern: t.Pattern[str] | "_StringPattern"
     tokens: str | tuple[str, ...] | tuple[Failure]
     command: str | None
 
 
+class _StringMatch:
+    """A minimal match object returned by :class:`_StringPattern`."""
+
+    __slots__ = ("_text", "_pos")
+
+    def __init__(self, text: str, pos: int) -> None:
+        self._text = text
+        self._pos = pos
+
+    def group(self, n: int = 0) -> str:
+        if n == 0:
+            return self._text
+        raise IndexError("no such group")
+
+    def end(self) -> int:
+        return self._pos + len(self._text)
+
+    def groups(self) -> tuple[str, ...]:
+        return ()
+
+    def groupdict(self) -> dict[str, str]:
+        return {}
+
+
+class _StringPattern:
+    """A regex-like object that matches string literals using a fast
+    manual scanner instead of a regex to avoid catastrophic backtracking
+    on unclosed strings with many escape sequences.
+    """
+
+    __slots__ = ()
+
+    def match(self, source: str, pos: int) -> _StringMatch | None:
+        result = _match_string(source, pos)
+        if result is None:
+            return None
+        return _StringMatch(result, pos)
+
+
 class Lexer:
     """Class that implements a lexer for a given environment. Automatically
     created by the environment class, usually you don't have to do that.
@@ -489,7 +564,7 @@ def c(x: str) -> t.Pattern[str]:
             _Rule(float_re, TOKEN_FLOAT, None),
             _Rule(integer_re, TOKEN_INTEGER, None),
             _Rule(name_re, TOKEN_NAME, None),
-            _Rule(string_re, TOKEN_STRING, None),
+            _Rule(_StringPattern(), TOKEN_STRING, None),
             _Rule(operator_re, TOKEN_OPERATOR, None),
         ]