That was my understanding, but like I said, I can't remember the exact circumstances of this particular instance. Of course, it could just have been something Stan changed his mind on later.
Oh no! I was thinking of something more in the vein of Chen Kaige's The Promise or Zhang Yimou's films like House of Flying Daggers -- though those don't have a lot of magic and are melodramatic, but they are GORGEOUS.
Though you are right, they would probably end up looking like those, or Chinese Ghost Story or maybe Detective Dee.
I need to watch more Korean fantasy movies. I remember one from a few years ago called The Restless, sort of like Orpheus, that would fit a Doctor Strange perfectly, IMO.